It took over a year and a half to get the
final words and names on paper, but Archuleta School District 50
Joint has a new contract today for the Maintenance and Transportation
Building.

The board of education and Colorado Jaynes
inked the pact during the Tuesday night school board meeting at a
total cost of $1,610,081.

Steve Walston, the district's building
maintenance superintendent, noted the original estimate on the
project was $1.58 million.

"We had a long delay," he said, "while the
district negotiated other possible sites for the structure than on
the high school campus.

"Colorado Jaynes," he said, "was very
cooperative in all the discussions and negotiations to work toward a
good price for the project. Each time we made progress they were
agreeable, very conscientious."

Already, work on the site on the bus circle
drive at the high school is underway.

The contract approved Tuesday calls for
substantial completion by April 6, 2006.

The entire project was born of multiple
needs.

1) The current bus barn adjacent to the
elementary school is old, outdated and the daily morning and evening
flow of buses, along with people in private cars, creates massive
traffic jams.

2) That traffic situation has raised serious
safety concerns for the Town of Pagosa Springs and Colorado
Department of Transportation. This will move all the bus traffic from
the area except that originating or ending at the elementary
school.

3) All maintenance operations can now be
performed in one location with sufficient storage on site to keep the
buses out of temptation.

4 ) All deliveries will be made to the new
structure and warehoused, then distributed from it. The previous
shipping department was a small shop room off the district
administrative building that required delivery vehicles to drive into
school ground areas. And it added additional traffic with district
vehicles moving it to the building designated for use.

In other action Tuesday, the board approved
revised graduation policies; early graduation plans; a resolution
backing Referendums C and D in the fall election; and a resolution
supporting the nomination of board member Sandy Caves to run for the
board of Colorado Association of School Boards.

County hierarchy stunned by
two

new resignations

By James Robinson

Staff Writer

Following a summer of triple resignations, the county faces two
more blows to its embattled personnel pool.

On Monday, Archuleta County Public Works Director Dick McKee filed
his resignation in a letter to the board of county commissioners.
According to the document, his last day will be Sept. 30.

The second blow came on Tuesday, when Archuleta County Senior
Planner Ross Easterling filed his resignation. His last day was
Wednesday.

Both men cited very different reasons for leaving.

Easterling said he was following a dream of taking his career to
an international level by pursuing an opportunity with the Peace
Corps in Honduras. He said it was one of the toughest decisions he
has made, but feels compelled to take the opportunity.

"My resignation has nothing to do with the administration of
Archuleta County. They have been very good to me," Easterling said.
Easterling became part of the planning department in May and said he
had fully intended to stay until this opportunity arose.

But McKee's resignation statements may shed light on deeper
personnel issues brewing within the county.

McKee's letter states, "...I am submitting this resignation under
duress. In my opinion the Board has failed to provide a non-hostile
work environment for staff. One of you has belittled staff in public
meetings and in private meetings throughout the community."

McKee's statements may be the most recent articulation of similar
sentiments expressed during other county staff resignations earlier
in the summer.

In late June, Julie Rodriquez of the county's building and
planning department, and Kathi Creech, the administrative assistant
to the board commissioners, resigned. In recent conversations, both
women said Commissioner Robin Schiro was a factor in their
resignations.

In response to the language of McKee's resignation letter,
Commissioner Mamie Lynch said, "It appears to me that Commissioner
Schiro has achieved her goal as I perceive it. She has now succeeded
in emptying the county's personnel resources and I am greatly sorry
that one person has had such a negative impact on the progress of
Archuleta County. This is my personal perception."

Commissioner Ronnie Zaday said she was saddened by McKee's
resignation.

"I felt we were just starting to get on track. It's going to be a
big loss," Zaday said.

Zaday added that some in the community had attributed current road
and road maintenance issues directly to McKee.

Zaday said, "He (McKee) has been personally attacked at home by
citizens who feel it is totally his fault. It's not his fault, and
although that may have been portrayed by one commissioner, it's not
the consensus of the board."

Following a road work session held Sept. 8, McKee said he had
encountered people at his house who had come to confront him about
road issues and road maintenance concerns.

Lynch said McKee's resignation and the past summer's staffing
crises were putting a severe strain on the county coffers.

"We don't have the financial resources to continue at this pace,"
Lynch said.

"Roads are such a top priority to the county, to have these
setbacks from loss of staff is very disheartening," Zaday said.

Schiro said she disagreed with McKee's statements and said she is
not belittling to staff.

"I ask questions, maybe more than others because I have experience
in the road and bridge area," Schiro said.

Schiro added, "If he feels that it is me, if I was asking
questions; I was acting in the best interest of the county."

Schiro said that McKee should have spoken to her or his supervisor
before it came to him filing his resignation.

But with McKee's resignation, the steps taken to solve the
county's road woes may seem on shaky ground. The county had recently
embarked on a series of public work shops designed to educate and
inform the public on problems and strategies for dealing with the
county's roads and road maintenance issues. Part of the process
included the redrafting of a set of road and bridge design standards,
and creating a county road map from a combination of staff research
and improved geographic information systems (GIS) map making
capabilities.

With McKee's resignation, Lynch said there would undoubtedly be
delays in completing these critical projects, but that the county
would continue on the progress made thus far.

Interim County Administrator Bob Jasper echoed Lynch's resolve. He
said the current progress was the culmination of a concerted,
long-term interdepartmental effort and that the county would
persevere.

In regard to McKee's resignation Jasper said, "I'm saddened. I
wish him well in his endeavors. He was a pleasure to work with and is
a competent public servant."

Batch plant likely cause in
airport closure delay

By John Middendorf

Staff Writer

A 30-day airport closure period has been
delayed a week, with the latest closure dates set for Sept. 19-Oct.
19.

Although no official reason for the delay
has been announced, Rob Russ, airport manager, believes the delay was
caused by additional time required to deliver the batch plant - a
huge array of machinery used for producing asphalt. The batch plant
is located next to the airport adjacent to Piedra Road and is
currently operational. The first layers of asphalt were placed
Wednesday.

Bob Jasper, interim county administrator,
has met with officials at Kirkland Construction, RLLP, and has been
assured they are doing their best to "get it going." He confirmed
that delays had to do with highway restrictions on the wide loads
required to deliver the equipment, as well as possibly some concern
for shortages of specific fuels required for the plant. Jim and
Baxter Kirkland of Kirkland Construction were unavailable for
comment.

Jasper told the Airport Advisory Commission
(AAC) that, if he had the chance to do the Kirkland contract over, he
would "set higher performance bonds and penalties," regarding
construction delays (the contract was signed prior to Jasper's role
as Pagosa's interim county administrator).

There is concern among those affiliated with
the airport.

Bob Howard, chair of the AAC, said "every
day that the completion of this project is delayed puts us one day
closer to possible bad weather and temperatures too low to lay
asphalt."

Nancy Torrey, Avjet base manager, said
"Avjet is disappointed in the delays because of the impact it is
having on our business, but we are certain that the county will live
up to our expectations and see that the project is completed as soon
as possible."

Once the batch plant is up and running, Russ
said it will be able to produce 4,000 tons of asphalt per day. Since
asphalt weighs approximately 148 pounds per cubic foot (source:
Asphalt Institute), the final 2-inch layer of the 8,100 by 100-foot
runway should require 135,000 cubic feet, with a weight of about
10,000 (short) tons. Both Russ and Jasper note that once it is up and
running, the batch plant will produce huge amounts of steam, and
emphasize that it is not smoke or toxic emissions.

At the Sept. 8 AAC meeting, Jasper discussed
the contentious new hangar lease at length with members of the
advisory commission, with many pilots also present. Many questioned
the development process of the lease, asking why the Archuleta ground
lease is so much more strict than La Plata ground lease, since both
were created by the same legal firm, according to Ralph Goulds,
maintenance officer for the San Juan Flyers. San Juan Flyers owns one
of the eight hangars scheduled for demolition and had signed an
agreement earlier this spring to accept a hangar at the new midfield
location as a replacement.

Goulds feels the new lease is "totally one
sided" and "leaves the hangar owners out to dry." He said the lease
was written as if the county owned the hangars (and not just the
land), and that there should have been at least some discussion and
negotiation between the county and the lease holders prior to the
lease's approval.

"The agreement (to vacate the hangars) was
reached in good faith," he said, and added, "this lease is not in
good faith."

One pilot at the meeting felt chagrined that
he was put "over a barrel" with no choice but to "sign the lease or
be obstructive to the airport project," since the demolition of the
existing hangars is essential to the completion of the runway
project. Another pilot complained about several other issues, saying
he has been "ignored, trivialized, and minimized," by the airport
management in the past.

As the bitterness continued to prevail at
the meeting, Howard sagely advised, "get over it," recalling the fact
that the board of county commissioners has already approved the
lease. Commission member Mark Weiler further clarified to the
outspoken guests that it was not the role of the AAC to be the
conduit for complaints in these matters, and implored those
dissatisfied instead to challenge the lease legally.

Howard reminded those present that the
county had agreed the lease was a "work in progress" and, since the
lease holders, as part of the FAA grant assurances, were "required to
be equitable," he felt their needs would be further
considered.

Jasper listened to the concerns of the AAC
and the pilots. He said he was told by the airport manager that the
lease had been circulated prior to BoCC approval (the lease was
distributed Friday, then approved on Tuesday after a Monday holiday),
and apologized on behalf of the county that the lease was not
distributed in a more appropriate manner. Jasper said he had spoken
to the airport manager and said he "expects more timeliness on how we
do things" in the future.

Emphasizing the need to work together,
Jasper highlighted the benefits the current changes would bring, "If
things work out, this will be a dang nice airport." Reiterating the
airport's extensive county funding, he said, "I think this will be a
sweet deal (for the lease holders) ten years from now."

In the end, Jasper promised to look at the
lease compared to the La Plata lease and to consider specific
changes, such as "the mechanical piece" referring to the scope of
work that would be allowed within the hangars. Charming the crowd, at
one point Jasper said to Howard, "for someone so young you are quite
sage," to which Howard amicably replied, "you're wrong on two
counts."

In other matters discussed at the AAC
meeting:

- The AAC approved the document "Airport Goals-2006 and Beyond," which they will present to the BoCC for approval.

- Tom Broadbent, of the events committee,
updated the AAC on the progress on the "media blitz" planned once
construction is finished.

The next AAC meeting is scheduled for Oct. 6
at 3 p.m.

Temporary solutions proposed
for Mill Creek

Chuck McGuire

Staff Writer

At the second in a series of public meetings
designed to resolve Mill Creek Road issues, U.S. Forest Service
representatives addressed concerned citizens and county officials
gathered Tuesday at the Extension Building in Pagosa Springs.

However, by meeting's end, the only matters
settled were where and when to meet again.

The three-mile stretch of road in question
begins at the San Juan National Forest boundary approximately four
miles from the intersection of Mill Creek Road and U.S. 84, and
continues into the High West Unit 11, Mill Creek Ranch, Rito Blanco
Ranch and Cimarrona subdivisions. The entire stretch lies within
national forest jurisdiction.

Tuesday's meeting began with forest
officials proposing a short-term solution meant to allow residents
and winter recreationalists safe travel over the road this winter.

District Ranger Jo Bridges briefly described
circumstances leading up to current concerns, including increased
recreational use, growing residential development, and deteriorating
road conditions resulting from levels of use beyond original design
standards.

San Juan National Forest Road Manager Bill
Ivy continued by first encouraging those effected to work together in
seeking long-term solutions providing for the greater good, then
explained the official USFS mission regarding all forest roads and
related maintenance.

"The forest service is not in a position to
support residential development within forest boundaries," he said.
"We will gate roads to limit use in certain situations, but the USFS
shouldn't offer de facto gated communities."

Ivy then proposed a temporary solution to
road woes, including placing a gate three-tenths of a mile beyond the
forest boundary, constructing a parking lot for recreational users,
and building a bypass snow trail from the lot to Nipple Mountain
Road, thus eliminating recreational travel over a two-mile section of
road most susceptible to damage. He estimated the work would take a
week to complete.

Ivy suggested the gate could remain locked
after hunting season, and year-round residents would be given the
combination. He also said a snowplowing permit would be granted to a
"single entity," but residents would have to bear the cost and
responsibility of removing snow from the two miles of road inside the
gate.

According to Ivy, any long-term solution
would involve upgrading the entire road surface to an all-weather
standard, including widening to 24 feet, creating three-to-one
drainage ditches, placing culverts every 1,000 feet, and surfacing
with 10 inches of gravel. The estimated commercial cost would be
$300,000, an amount neither the USFS nor Archuleta County currently
have to spend. Ivy said the USFS would want to "transfer"
jurisdiction of the road to the county, once upgraded.

Throughout the gathering, attending
residents and county officials seemed receptive to USFS suggestions
and offered additional input. The air seemed cordial and cooperative
and, in the end, all agreed to meet again, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m.

Also open to the public, that meeting will
be held at the USFS building at the corner of Lewis and Second
streets.

Inside The
Sun

Schiro attends national
Republican women's convention

Archuleta County Commissioner Robin Schiro joined nearly 2,000
other Republican women leaders from across the nation in Nashville,
Tenn., Sept. 8-11.

The event was the National Federation of Republican Women's (NFRW)
33rd biennial convention, one of the largest national meetings of
Republicans this year and the official kickoff of the 2006 political
season.

Schiro was elected as a Colorado Delegate At-Large in February
2005 at a state meeting of the Colorado Federation of Republican
Women (CFRW), a first for an Archuleta County Republican.

While in Nashville, Schiro attended Campaign Management School in
hopes of helping prepare women from the Archuleta County Republican
Women's group (ACRW) for the upcoming state Senate, House and
gubernatorial races in 2006.

In addition, Schiro attended workshops on keeping track of your
money and learning parliamentary procedure since she is a nominee for
CFRW Treasurer 2006-2007. Elections for this and other offices will
be held at the CFRW state meeting next month in Colorado Springs.

During the four-day event, attendees participated in leadership
training seminars, campaign management schools and a variety of
political and policy workshops taught by well-known and respected
experts. In addition, they heard from members of Congress, Tennessee
elected officials, military leaders and political experts.

ProgressNow Tour comes to
Pagosa Springs

By John Middendorf

Staff Writer

"Get Connected, Get Current, Get Active," is the motto of the
progressive network action group, ProgressNow, a not-for-profit
organization created to mobilize Colorado's progressives at a
grassroots level.

They held a gathering on the outside patio at Farrago's Market
Friday, as part of a 2,772-mile statewide tour to gather support for
their new Web-based forum, designed to link grassroots organizations
together.

Jen Caltrider, director of projects for the organization, defines
a progressive as "somebody willing to work for the common good, as
opposed to people on the right, who tend to be 'every man for
themselves.'"

Amidst the aspens and the traffic noise from U.S. 160, Mike Miles,
former Colorado democratic candidate for U.S. Senate and advocate for
the group, spoke to a crowd of about 35 people, many of whom
expressed deep dissatisfaction for the current administration and its
policies.

Miles said when it came to issues like health care and good
education, one "can't be too progressive," and urged the crowd to
"stand by their principles." Many of the crowd had worked for
Democratic campaigns in the past, and he said that, instead of
tolerating elected politicians' agendas after elections, it was
especially important to "keep up the noise."

"The bottom line," Miles said, "is if we don't talk, they're not
going to listen. There are costs in being active, the constant
drizzle wears us down, but we have to keep faith, we can't wait for
the sun to break through the clouds, we have to let our light shine
through."

That is where their ProgressNow Web site comes in. With the belief
that the conservative right's success began by a mobilizing of the
media 30 years ago, Maria Handley, outreach director, said the
ProgressNow Web site (www.ProgressNowAction.org) enables
organizations and individuals to "make sure we have a voice, as
opposed to everyone having their own little island." Miles added, "We
are disorganized as a party and as individual groups," and said that
"there is a danger of diffusion of efforts." With the ProgressNow Web
site, he said, "here's our chance to get it right in 2006."

The site allows individuals and groups to form "blogs," (short for
web logs) - running dialogs in which readers can post comments on
specific issues, as well as create group e-mail lists. The site also
has current news and a list of local events.

By helping to build a progressive infrastructure through the
Internet, Handley believes the group can gain an "even playing field
with the right." According to their release, ProgressNow believes the
most effective way to facilitate change is to focus on the hundreds
of local elections and issues every year, as opposed to focusing only
on the national election every four years. The group considers
Colorado's recent Democratic victories in the Senate and House in
2004 as an example of Colorado's success of promoting issues at a
grassroots level.

Some of the older people in the audience expressed concern with
the Internet focus. "A lot of that Internet stuff I'm not familiar
with," said Marilyn Moorhead, 76, who is very active in political
issues, adding that "a lot of my generation still aren't on the
Internet." Caltrider responded by saying the Web site's purpose was
"to get a conversation to communities. Maybe a person may not have
access (to the Internet), but their neighbor will."

Handley cites a study of influence within a community. According
to the study, one out of 10 people in the general population are
"influencers," defined as someone outgoing and participating in
community affairs. She said the study delineates Internet users,
finding "out of those who use the Internet, one out of seven are
influencers."

Loaves and Fishes resumes free
meals Oct. 6, now year-round

By Richard Walter

Staff Writer

Loaves and Fishes, a highly successful public service begun as a
short-term experiment last year, will reopen Thursday, Oct. 6.

And there are some major changes in order.

Most notably, meals will now be served year-round, Thursdays,
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at no cost to visitors to the Parish Hall.

Some dates already committed to other organizations will see the
dinners served at Community United Methodist Church directly across
the street.

The meals are all prepared and served by volunteers, guest
greeters escort diners to their tables, and servers bring the repast
to the diner.

When it began last year, many said the program would never last.
At the beginning, they served about 60 each Thursday. But as word got
around, the numbers climbed until at season's end more than 200 were
dining free every week.

Asked why the success when there was so much doubt, a Loaves and
Fishes member said two things: Volunteers, volunteers and more
volunteers and, then, the outstanding participation of City Market in
helping supply the foodstuffs.

Planners are asking all volunteers to be on hand at 9 a.m. the
first day to get instructions.

Exotic sports cars coming here
Tuesday

The Peak to Peak Sports Car Rallye with participants from
Colorado, Arizona, California, Canada, England and Germany will make
a stop in Pagosa Springs 4 p.m. Tuesday.

A group of 36 classic and exotic sports cars will be displayed at
Pagosa Lodge, including models from Maserati, Porsche, Corvette,
Viper, Lotus and more.

Harry Mathews, rally founder and participant, said, "We're
fortunate to have such scenic routes to tour here in Colorado. A
highlight for the rally participants will be our layover here in
Pagosa Springs."

Cole holds LPEA post; local
rate hike looming

By Chuck McGuire

Staff Writer

La Plata Electric Association, Inc. (LPEA) held its annual members
meeting in Pagosa Springs High School Saturday with principle items
of business the election of district directors, a presentation of
LPEA finances and discussion of future projects which may result in
power rate increases to LPEA members.

Incumbent director Harry Cole, and new candidate Jeff Berman, won
seats on the LPEA board in districts 1 and 3, respectively.
Incumbents Davin Montoya of District 2, and Ed Zink of District 4,
retained their seats, running unopposed.

Cole defeated challenger Rich Goebel, 823 votes to 503 votes,
winning his seventh term to represent the Pagosa area This was
Goebel's first LPEA board campaign.

In District 3 (Durango), Berman (1,039 votes) defeated challengers
David Rice (497 votes) and Vijay Bastawade (147 votes). All were
candidates for the seat vacated by retiring director Troy Bledsoe.
Berman uusuccessfully ran for the board in 2003, losing to incumbent
director John Gardella by a narrow margin. This LPEA board campaign
was the first for both Rice and Bastawade.

In other annual meeting news, the general manager of Tri-State
Generation and Transmission Association, J.M. Shafer, announced
Tri-State will raise its wholesale power rates by 4 percent beginning
Jan. 1. Tri-State supplies power to LPEA and 43 other distribution
co-ops in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Nebraska.

The rate hike comes a year after Tri-State raised rates 13.8
percent, an increase LPEA absorbed fully without passing it on to
members. Tri-State suggests strong member growth and a need to build
new power plants are primary reasons for the latest increase.

According to Shafer, Tri-State's own generation isn't sufficient
to adequately supply power to all 44 co-op members during peak
demand. He said Tri-State exceeded previous demand highs by 15
percent this summer, and had to purchase additional energy on the
open market at a much higher rate.

"We're in the business of keeping the lights on for our member
systems and their consumers," Shafer said. "Across our system we're
experiencing an annual load growth of about four percent, which
translates to 100 megawatts of added power needed every year. We
estimate the need for an additional 1,600 megawatts of power by
2020," he added.

Thus the need for constructing new baseload generating facilities
and related transmission infrastructure.

"Our long-range plan calls for approximately 1,800 megawatts of
new generating capacity to be built at two seperate sites over the
next 15 years," Shafer said.

Tri-State will lead a two-unit expansion effort at an existing
single-unit, coal-based power plant in Holcomb, Kan., owned by
Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, a wholesale power supplier
located in Hays, Kan. At the same time, Tri-State will pursue the
development of a coal-based generating project in southeastern
Colorado - an effort that the association first began exploring a
couple of years ago.

According to Shafer, "The decisions made by our board of directors
today will benefit the region's consumers for years to come, in the
form of long-term, reliable, affordable electric power."

Meanwhile, LPEA Chief Executive Officer Greg Munro, reported co-op
refunds of more than $2 million to its membership in 2004, and said
it appears on budget for 2005. He explained that LPEA's strong
financial position allowed it to absorb the earlier rate increase by
Tri-State, but doing so has depleted much of its reserves, and a
heavy January snowstorm and construction-related service
interruptions have increased operating expenses.

Further, Hurricane Katrina's effects on southern sister co-ops may
lead to equipment and materials shortages, ultimately delaying some
projects.

While diminished reserves and higher costs may result in some LPEA
project delays, they, along with Tri-State's latest rate increase
will likely bring about higher energy costs to area consumers. The
board and staff will soon determine just how much of the 2006
Tri-State increase will be passed through to LPEA members.

PAWSD new development
provisions, construction update

By John Middendorf

Staff Writer

Amidst plentiful cookies, juice and, of course, water, the Pagosa
Area Water and Sanitation District Board of Directors met for its
bimonthly meeting Tuesday. A "gentle wafting of wastewater" from the
treatment plant also pervaded the atmosphere during the meeting.

The board is adding more clarification to a resolution that was
initially created in June of last year called, "Provision of Water
Supply for Serving New Developments or Expanded Water Use Caused by
New Developments Within Existing Boundaries."

The issue is pertinent because of a current request for a water
main line extension and water rights dedication from Carl Valdejuli,
a local resident who is working with a group of Florida developers to
build Blue Sky Village, planned for an area south of town off U.S.
84.

Valdejuli describes the project as a "new urbanism" mixed-use
community with clusters of residential and commercial areas and a
central water feature surrounded by bike paths and recreational
areas. Valdejuli also spoke of the desire to stub out a raw water
irrigation supply to every residential lot. The board approved the
permit for main line extension, the first step in the process,
contingent on additional requirements from the owner on record.

Blue Sky Village will apparently have 1.8 cfs of Class C water
rights but has not yet done a comprehensive water use plan to
determine the needs of the development. The status of the existing
water rights also needs to be evaluated, such as if they senior or
junior, or agricultural or municipal. If water rights need to be
converted, the Colorado Water Court may reduce the amount of water
rights, according to Carrie Campbell, PAWSD manager.

Once the developer's water use plan is completed and submitted,
there will be a review on how to proceed.

Campbell said the Blue Sky Village development is a test case
using the new section of the rules and regulations. The provision,
for example, may require a dedication of water rights equal to 120
percent of the water needs expected. Other variables include the
transfer of water rights to the district and/or "cash in lieu of"
water rights, at the discretion of the district.

The bottom line, said Campbell, "is that growth pays for itself,"
meaning the developers are not only responsible not only for the
infrastructure within the development itself, but also on other
demands of the water system outside of the development boundaries,
such as delivery pipes, water treatment plants and holding tanks. The
"cash in lieu of" could be used to offset the cost of required water
system improvements.

Although the new Trujillo Heights project in town has not yet
requested permits from PAWSD, according to Campbell, it will also be
subject to the terms of the provision.

Regarding construction projects, the Dutton Ditch pipeline is
halfway complete and roughly three weeks ahead of schedule.
Construction on the diversion structure should begin this week. The
board commended the crews for doing a "great job."

The draining of Stevens Reservoir continues at around four or five
cubic feet per second, and should be finished by November.
Negotiations continue with landowners.

In other matters, the board discussed the continuing replacement
of substandard main lines. Art Holloway said the replacements in
Holiday Acres are coming along, "getting pretty close to getting
everybody tied in," though there is still some work to be done on the
"high side" of the subdivision.

There is some concern with substandard pipelines in areas limiting
flow rates of some fire hydrants. Springs. Although the board said
the district is not in the business of providing "fire flow," they
hope to enlarge specific pipelines so that low flow hydrants
(currently marked with a white "X"), will become operational.

Steve Hartvigsen brought up the issue of reseeding areas after an
earth-removal project, such as the recent work done on Hills Circle.
Although not required, the board agreed that reseeding reduces soil
erosion and displaces, and that reseeding "should become standard
operational procedure." Applying protective mulch such as crimped
straw was discussed, with September being noted as a good time to
seed.

Windsor Chacey ended the meeting by presenting a tongue-in-cheek
article comparing water volumes to the equivalent number of
"six-packs," to help explain the enlargement of Stevens Reservoir.
The reservoir is increasing in capacity from 635 acre-feet to 1,682
acre-feet, an increase of about 615 million six packs. For a county
population of about 13,000, that's nearly 50,000 additional six-packs
per person. Good thing football season is starting up.

The board decided to go to monthly meetings (currently
bi-monthly), to be held the second Tuesday of each month. The next
meeting is scheduled Oct. 11.

Friends of Wolf Creek plan
"Village" slide show

By James Robinson

Staff Writer

The Friends of Wolf Creek will host a slide show and presentation
Sept. 20 regarding the proposed Village at Wolf Creek.

Jeff Berman, of Colorado Wild, will be a key speaker at the event.
In his presentation, he will bring attendees up to date on events
leading up to proposed development, current issues, and Friends of
Wolf Creek progress in an attempt to halt the project.

The current plan involves constructing more than 2,000 residential
units and more than 200,000 square feet of retail and commercial
space about 30 miles east of Pagosa Springs near the Wolf Creek Ski
Area.

The presentation will be held 6 p.m. in the Vista Clubhouse at 230
Port Avenue in Pagosa Springs.

For more information contact Marilyn Hutchins at 731-9414.

Benefit dance for Coltin Chavez

A benefit dance will be held Friday, Sept. 30, to raise funds to
help offset medical costs incurred by the family of a local
youngster, Coltin Chavez, 4.

Coltin, the son of Ronnie and Jennifer Chavez, has been diagnosed
with epileptic encephalopathy and experienced allergic reactions to
seizure medications. Coltin has spent some time at Children's
Hospital in Denver and will return periodically for visits to his
doctors.

The dance will be 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at Dorothy's Restaurant in
the Pagosa Plaza. The band will be CC Swing, providing country
western music for the event.

There is a $5 cover charge, with proceeds to assist the family.

Reminder: General Election will
be mail ballot election

Archuleta County officials are again reminding voters the Nov. 1
General Election will be a mail ballot election.

Only "active voters" will receive ballots in the mail. If you did
not vote in the November 2004 General Election, you will need to
reactivate your record or you will not receive a ballot. You will
need to stop at the county clerk's office to do this.

If you have registered anytime after the last election you should
be fine. Your ballot will be sent to whatever mailing address and
voting status you showed on your registration.

You may call the clerk's office (264-8350) to verify your mailing
address and voting status and receive further instructions.

You need to act now to avoid the rush at the last minute and to
make sure your ballot will be mailed to the right address.

If you have not registered, you may do so up to Oct. 3.

Local quilters asked to help
with Katrina relief

By Chuck McGuire

Staff Writer

Through no fault of their own, more than 200,000 survivors of
Hurricane Katrina are sleeping on cold concrete floors in shelters
throughout Houston. With nothing softening their slumber, or
protecting them from the chill of otherwise welcome air-conditioning
(outside temperatures have hovered in the 90s and 100s for weeks),
their needs are immediate and you can help.

Sponsored by Equilter (www.equilter.com), the International Quilt Festival  Houston & Chicago (IQFHC), and the American Red Cross, Quilters Comfort America (QCA) is collecting all kinds of quilts for prompt distribution to the Katrina survivors in Houston.

The need for quilts (twin-size or larger) is critical, and
quilters are asked to consider donating finished pieces not planned
for other uses.

According to Karey Patterson Bresenhan, director of IQFHC, "Many
of us have unfinished projects filling our closets and cupboards."
She suggests getting one out and working with friends, finishing
several on an assembly-line basis if possible.

"Do whatever it takes to get these finished quickly. The need for
these quilts is right now."

Patterson Bresenhan believes quilters may have sample quilts that
have become shopworn or faded, but are still clean enough and usable
in such an emergency.

"Send them," she says. "Every piece will go to a survival family
driven from their homes by the hurricane."

She suggests adding a label on the back with a kind thought,
perhaps including your name and date, but don't expect a confirmation
or "thank you" of any kind.

Those without quilts to offer can still help. QCA will accept
used, though servicable, sheets, blankets, comforters and pillow
cases (no pillows). Of course, everything should be laundered and
fresh.

QCA is working with the Red Cross in distributing donations to
survivors, most of whom escaped the hurricane's fury with only the
clothes on their back and little, if anything, to return to.

If you would like to donate quilts or bedding (twin-size or larger
only), gather items together, launder them, safety-pin a note to each
one stating its size, and deliver all to Linda Bennett, 211 Pines
Drive, Pagosa Springs (731-9141). The Plaid Pony is also accepting
donations at its new location, 27-B Talisman Drive, Suite 3, Pagosa
Springs (731-5262).

Donations must be made on or before Tuesday, Sept. 20, and will be
driven to Equilter in Boulder. From there, Equilter will mail them,
at their expense, to IQFHC and the Red Cross for distribution.

County road workshop today

By James Robinson

Staff Writer

In the second meeting in a series of road work sessions, the
county staff presented a draft of proposed county road design
standards.

Public Works Director Dick McKee said the document was crafted
using Summit County road and bridge standards as a model.

McKee said Summit County standards were an appropriate modeling
tool because Summit County and Archuleta County were similar in many
ways. He said they were both agriculturally based counties with
nearby ski areas that shifted to recreation destinations and places
for people to build second homes and trophy homes. The result was a
community with a mix of urban and rural characteristics.

He said the newly drafted design standards take this rural-urban
mix into consideration and are drastically different from the "one
size fits all" approach of the current road and bridge
specifications.

He added that the new standards contain an expanded road
classification scheme and specific design criteria for the new
classes.

The next meeting in the series will elaborate on the specifics of
the classification scheme and the particulars of the design criteria.

The draft also provides methods of fortifying existing standards
while creating new standards where necessary.

The draft is available for public viewing on line and comments
will be taken through next week. McKee called the proposed standards
a "work in progress" and said they would ultimately go to the board
of county commissioners for approval.

Today, the county will host the third road work shop at 2:30 p.m.
at the board of county commissioners meeting room. The session will
go into depth on the proposed classification scheme and will discuss
definitions, design criteria and functions of the various
classifications.

Future meetings in the series will be held Thursdays between now
and Oct. 6 at 2:30 p.m. in the county commissioners' meeting room.

New EMS manager outlines some
goals

By John Middendorf

Staff Writer

"If we ever have the opportunity to move (to southwest Colorado),
we're going to," Brett Murphy said to his wife, Twila, some time
back.

Murphy achieved his dream when, following a nationwide job search,
he was hired as the new EMS manager for the Upper San Juan Health
Service District.

Murphy has moved here from Owosso, Mich. with his wife and three
children: Ian, 10, Sierra, 9, and Savanna, 6. Murphy has been in
emergency medical services since 1988, when he gained his EMT
certification. In 1990, he became a paramedic, the highest level of
pre-hospital licensure.

Previously, Murphy was the executive director of a municipal
ambulance service and has two degrees: one in EMS management and one
in business and finance.

Although he misses his farm in Michigan, he has taken to Pagosa.
"Everyone here is so nice, and we've been so well received by the
community," he said. He recently purchased a home on Village Lake,
where the "view is magnificent," and says the kids enjoy fishing in
the lake, 15 feet off their back porch, where they catch perch and
trout.

He said he has two immediate goals for the EMS department. The
first is to further expand the vision of Joy Sinnott (former
temporary EMS manager). He said she has cleaned up the department and
deserves an award for what she has brought to the community. The
second goal is to be more proactive in community events, such as
local festivals. "Our goal is to be a one-stop shop for community
health care and health care education," he said.

Murphy envisions community interactions such as seasonal
preventive educational events, perhaps a bike rodeo in the spring for
kids, where helmets and bike safety are promoted, and a water event
in the early summer, combined with CPR, swimming and boating safety
education.

He's looking forward to setting up such events and meeting more
members of the community. "I'm kind of a social butterfly and like to
get out with the people, get the feel of the pulse of the people, and
see what the community needs are with health care," he said.

In addition to the introduction of Brett Murphy at the last USJHSD
meeting, other orders of business covered include:

- The district will advertise soon for a new board member to
replace Dick Blide.

- Jerry Valade was elected as the acting district secretary.

- The Crossroads Facility, a psychiatric care center, is expecting
to break ground on Oct. 14 for a new facility adjacent to the new
Mercy Regional Medical Center complex in Durango.

- The board turned down a request from EMS to add a third
ambulance at a cost of nearly $11,000 per month. The board will
revisit the plan next month when they have a better idea of accounts
receivable and general financial obligations through the remainder of
the year.

- EMS responded to 99 calls in August with 36 patients
transported.

- The new EMS billing position has been filled.

- Discounts and collection protocols presented by Mercy Management
were approved, with some caveats.

Outdoors

Firewood permits now on sale at
Pagosa Ranger office

National Forest and Bureau of Land
Management firewood permits are now on sale for the 2005 season at
the Pagosa Ranger District/Field Office.

The permit, which costs $10, is divided into
two half-cord tags so the full cord does not have to be gathered at
one time. Each household may purchase up to 10 permits per year for
personal-use firewood.

Gathering firewood for resale requires a
commercial permit. Permits may be used until Dec. 31. Permits come
with an informational brochure and map.

As a reminder, the Pagosa Ranger District
has a regulation prohibiting the cutting of large, standing, dead
ponderosa pine trees greater than 15 inches in diameter for use as
firewood.

Violators may face a maximum fine of up to
$5,000 and/or six months in jail. Monitoring has shown a substantial
lack of large ponderosa pine snags in some areas of the District.
Large ponderosa pine snags provide unique and critical wildlife
habitat for many species of songbirds, birds of prey, and
mammals.

Fuel types available as firewood on the
Pagosa District:

- Standing dead snags of all other tree
species;

- Standing dead ponderosa pines less than 15
inches in diameter;

- Dead wood on the ground;

- Live Gambel oak tress less than six inches
in diameter;

- Green trees that have been felled in
fuels-reduction projects.

Updates on National Forest and BLM road
conditions and closures may be obtained at local agency offices or on
the Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan.

For more information, contact the Pagosa
Ranger District/Field Office, 264-2268.

Change to fall colors is
beginning earlier

By Liz Parker

U.S. Forest Service

Special to The SUN

The annual change to autumn colors is
starting in southwest Colorado, showing hints of change even in the
lower elevations.

Small amounts of color have been reported
throughout areas such as Vallecito, and at higher elevations at Wolf
Creek Pass, Telluride, Rico (Lizard Head Pass), and in the town of
Silverton. Lake City is reporting about 10-percent change on trees on
the peaks and in town.

Recommended viewing:

Trees are definitely starting to show some
hints of change in various areas in the San Juan National Forest and
BLM lands. Even without the colors, the backcountry offers lots of
incredible views and some lingering wildflowers to enjoy.

Remember that this time of year is
unpredictable for weather. Last year in early September, we got some
early snow in the mountains, which is a good reminder that we need to
respect the mountains and prepare for all backcountry conditions.
Weather reports are showing that early snow may be a possibility here
this year too, especially in the higher country.

Estimated peak viewing period:

Some areas may show change as little as 1
1/2 weeks to three weeks. Each year can vary.

View Suggestions:

Bring extra clothing and rain gear,
temperatures are varying from 30s to 80s. Temperatures can vary in
extreme fashion depending on time of day and elevation.

Trees currently turning: Aspen, oak brush,
cottonwoods.

Please contact the Pagosa Ranger District at
264-1527 or check out the Web site www. fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan for more
information.

Catch and Release

A hatch, a trout, a return to
water

By James Robinson

SUN Columnist

Mine is a history marked by water, of seeking water, of avoiding
water, and ultimately of finding it once again.

Water flows through me and around me. It has been part of me since
the beginning and it will, I suspect, be part of me until the end.

Water is a part of my family history. My grandfather left Great
Falls, Mont. for the state of Washington to build the Grand Coulee
Dam. His too was a passage marked by water. Once there, he met my
grandmother and my mother was conceived near a place of great water.
She met my father, I was conceived and I too was born near water in
the Pacific Northwest.

But I was different.

I was born under the sign of the fishes and maybe that is where it
all began.

Throughout my childhood, water, namely rivers, played a profound
role in my life. And now, as an adult, the names of those watery
places, the rivers Hoh, Queets, Quinalt, Skykomish, Skookumchuck and
Deschutes roll from my tongue like the language of an ancient
mythology. Although the rivers aren't mythology: they are. And these
are the places I learned to fish.

If I told you I have been a fly fisherman all my life, I would be
a liar. Although I've never been a bait caster, my father and I
fished these rivers of the Pacific Northwest with spin rods and lures
punctuated with viciously barbed treble hooks. We cast for trout and
sea-run cutthroat but never did we fish with flies.

By the age of 15, I became disillusioned with angling as I knew
it. I was bored by the mundane ritual of spin casting, of standing in
one place, casting and retrieving, hoping for a strike or snag. At
age 16, I quit fishing and walked away from those streams.

By age 18, I was old enough to leave home and I sought the driest
places I could find. I wanted shelter from water, from water running
in streams and rivers, from water in lakes and from water pouring
down from the sky.

I found Arizona, and then New Mexico. I traveled beyond the
Southwest to the Middle East and North Africa. I wanted heat. I
wanted sun. I wanted liquid annihilation and in these arid places I
found canyons and deserts, places, ironically enough, whose very
essence was marked by the passage of water.

From water I could not hide.

During ten years in New Mexico, my backcountry excursions shifted
gradually from the desert places of the south to the Sangre de Cristo
mountains in the north. After nearly a decade in arid country I had
become thirsty. I was seeking water and I didn't even know it.

I spent months backpacking in the high country of the state's
northern mountains. And often while walking, I would step across
streams no wider than an ironing board. It never occurred to me to
attempt fishing these streams. I was thirsty, but not thirsty enough.
These were not the rivers of my childhood, they were mere trickles in
comparison and besides, fishing for me was dead.

I walked on.

In July 2000, after 15 years of not fishing, my father arrived on
his first visit to my so-called waterless world in central New
Mexico. An outing was planned, and we went north, again to water.

My father traveled with a truck full of camping gear and fishing
rods. He had not given up the pursuit of casting for trout in high
mountain waters, but I had, and I made it clear from the beginning it
was not a fishing trip. I had much loftier goals in mind - mountains.

We left in the morning, far too late for a midsummer's mountain
climb, and arrived at the base of Wheeler Peak in a torrential
downpour, accented by sharp cracks of thunder and explosive flashes
of lightning high above on the mountain.

Climbing to the peak was out, so we made base camp in the Rio
Hondo canyon and sat the storm out. I fidgeted. I cursed the rain and
waited, and by noon the storm had not ended. I walked around in the
storm and became drenched and frustrated. I stared at the Hondo. I
had no intentions of fishing and cursed the water, all water, water
from the sky, water on the ground, water in streams and I waited.

My father fished.

The storm finally cleared in the late afternoon. It was far too
late to attempt the summit. So I stood around trying to kill time.
And then my dad appeared with a fishing rod in his hand. "Why don't
you try this," he said. "It was your grandfather's," and he handed me
a long, golden fiberglass fly rod.

I told him I had quit fishing, that it was a waste of time and
that I didn't know how to use a fly rod in the first place. He
pushed, and with nothing else to do, I conceded. I took the rod and a
box of flies and trudged off up stream.

After a short time, I arrived at a deep pool formed by fallen
timbers. The logs had been scarred on one end with the tell-tale
conical shape that could only mean one thing - beavers.

The pool was bordered on the far bank by a sheer cliff, and
between me, the logjam and the rock face lay an emerald green pool,
prime trout water, at least six feet deep. I skirted the edge of the
pool along a gravel bank and witnessed something I had never stopped
to observe as a spin caster.

Just above the pool, the air was thick with gray fluttering
insects. They darted from the surface of the water to the sky and
back again, careening haphazardly like a band of drunken moths. Every
so often, one of them didn't survive the journey, and became stuck on
the surface where they floated to their doom. As the insects thrashed
about on the surface, hungry brown trout charged from the depths and
devoured them.

This was what every fly fisherman waited for, only I didn't know
it yet. But, intent on the game and with nothing else to do, I pulled
a fly out of the box that looked something like what was airborne and
tied it on. The fly resembled a giant grey cotton ball, a passable
imitation I thought, and I launched the most pathetic, ill shapen
cast imaginable to the top of the pool.

The fly managed a passable drift down the tongue of the rapids at
the head of the pool and traveled into the deep water just in front
of the log jam. To my amazement, a brown trout inched up from the
bottom, positioned itself in the center of the run, and then shot up
to take the fly.

It was all clear as day and when the trout struck my heart hit my
throat. The line drew taut and the glass rod surged with the fight of
the fish.

Although I had quit fishing years ago, I remembered what to do,
and after a short battle I eased the brown to shore and marveled at
what had just transpired. I, like the trout, had been hooked and
water, in the most subtle but profound way, became part of me again.

Letters

Impeachment?

Dear Editor:

A call to sanity, when-oh-when will the voters recognize they've
been had by ole "Lying Loathsome George (LLG)."

Being very stupid is his best defense and Afghanistan maybe his
best decision after 9/11. Chris Rock said it best  the more time he
spends on vacation the less harm he can do. Certainly Katrina proved
that his political appointees lack any semblance of skills whether
FEMA or Homeland Security.

Not to fear, "LLG" is looking into it, maybe as far as he did on
Rove's outing a covert CIA agent. At least other Republicans showed a
level of sense, when they "deferred" passing a bill to kill the
Estate Tax during the Katrina cleanup mess.

Recently I was moved by the patriotism of Sawicki in a letter to
the editor, till he ignored the War-on-Terror is being fought against
a people who never struck the U.S. Saddam is in jail, "LLG's"
volitional war(s) be over, time to recognize supporting the troops is
bringing them home. The Arab world has seen our form of democracy for
about 200-plus years and Iraq hasn't increased their appetite. Voting
turnout was more of a function of the power shift. The best that can
be said of "LLG's" war is he's getting even for Saddam taking a whack
at Pres. GHW Bush and should have just said that.

The twin towers were horrible, but true, also meant by Osama as a
recruitment for terrorism. So is "LLG's" mess in Iraq. Ole
disconnected "LLG" commented that the war in Iraq will draw them out
and we can kill them all  then waved his fist and called it a
crusade ... only to be told by Rove, that was a bit much, so next we
heard Muslims are just peace loving people? By the way, where is
Osama. and is his family still major partners with Bush senior in the
Carlyle Group?

"LLG" isn't just your run-of-the-mill ordinary oblivious
destroyer. He also deserves impeachment for humiliating Americans
every bit as much as Clinton. Republicans, get over your problems
with Democrats, separate the wheat from the chaff, it's time to act
as Americans.

Dave Blake

Leadership lack

Dear Editor:

It seems to me there is an endemic and pervasive lack of
leadership in county government. In addition to several other
instances, the commissioners are showing this lack by allowing the
County Road and Bridge Department to declare which roads it will and
will not maintain.

What will the commissioners allow next?

Will the commissioners allow the sheriff's department to decide
which crimes it will and will not address because they decide there
is too much crime?

Will the commissioners allow the county fire department to decide
which fires it will and will not extinguish because they decide there
are too many fires?

The commissioners need to step up to the leadership
responsibilities vested in them when they were voted into office.

The commissioners need to require the County Road and Bridge
Department simply to do their job - to bring all our roads up to
state standards and provide ongoing maintenance and snow removal.

If the commissioners fail to step up to their leadership
responsibilities the voters need to decide which commissioners will
and will not remain in office.

Tim Bristow

Zaday defensive

Dear Editor:

A group of concerned residents requested a meeting with Ronnie
Zaday to discuss the road maintenance situation that seems to be
plaguing all of us.

It was agreed that we would meet at the community center
Wednesday, Sept. 7. We met, but Ronnie came into the meeting on the
defensive with voice shaking.

Mind you, no one had spoken about anything to this point. She told
us she did not like small groups like this; that it always ends up
being a "he said, she said" type of thing and that she thought we
would best be served by attending an open public work session. She
also said in the very end of her speech that she would answer a
couple of questions.

There seemed to be no point in staying, so the group collectively
got up and left. In hind sight, someone should have spoken up and
said that "you agreed to the meeting and you owed it to us to answer
any questions, to the best of your ability."

We were not a threatening group.

Ronnie, what were you thinking? You were rude and inconsiderate of
us. If you had no intention of speaking to us and giving us a chance
to ask questions, then why did you accept the invitation? You wasted
our time and yours and believe me, our time is just as valuable as
yours is.

When you were campaigning, one of your neighbors invited several
neighbors to his home to meet with you, to introduce you and your
ideas about the future of Archuleta County. That was a "small group,"
and you did not mind answering questions then. My husband and I
specifically asked you at the time what you planned to do about our
road situation, i.e., the fact that they are not property maintained.

"If we pay taxes to the county, then our roads should be properly
maintained," you said.

We voted for you and as far as I can tell, you are not keeping
your promise to us, the taxpayers.

A very concerned citizen,

Suzy Bruce

Too old to re-up

Dear Editor:

Thank you so much for printing Jim Sawicki's educational sermons.

I don't know what this town would do without a self-appointed
spiritual/political guide shaping our collective conception of the
world.

One thing for sure: Jim is a super patriot! Too bad he's too old
to re-up in the navy; I for one would sleep better at night knowing
that Commodore Sawicki was thousands of miles away from Pagosa ...
protecting us from evil.

DC Duncan

Veterans' thanks

Dear Editor:

Fellow veterans, officials and citizens, I would like to extend my
sincere appreciation and thank you to everyone, on behalf of all of
our veterans and those members of our community that are currently
serving in the military, for your strong showing of support on the
deployment of local National Guard Reservists called up to active
duty Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Pagosa Springs citizens and school children turned out in force to
recognize and show support for our military persons who are about to
go "in harm's way" to defend our nation's freedom and security.

A special thank you to Archuleta County Sheriff's Department
personnel and Pagosa Springs Police Dept. for providing escort to the
troop transport vehicle. Through a special effort by these agencies,
it is believed law enforcement vehicles and personnel were able to
provide coordinated escort throughout the entire length of the trip
from Durango to Colorado Springs as the troop transport vehicle
passed through each county and community.

Local citizens and children waved flags and hands and released
balloons at the troops passed through our community. Their
appreciation was very evident on their smiling faces and wave of
hands in return.

Thank you all for your support.

Andy Fautheree

Archuleta County Veterans Service Officer

Scenic surprise

Dear Editor:

My deepest thanks to Dick McKee and the road and bridge crew for
arranging the gravel cap of Scenic Avenue. What a great surprise.

Over the past few days, we've watched dozens of truck loads of
gravel be placed on Scenic Avenue (and a few other roads in the area)
that desperately needed it. The contractor has done a terrific job
grading, crowning and rolling the road so that it is in great shape.

As a quick and emphatic testimony to the improvements made, last
night we had a very heavy rain and would normally awake to find
puddles of mud up to a foot deep in front of our home and other parts
of Scenic Avenue. This morning there's no mud, and the gravel road
dried quickly.

Having been one to make private and public constructive criticism
of the road and bridge department and the county commissioners, I
want to take the time to say thanks when a job is well done.

We deeply appreciate the new gravel cap, and equally appreciate
not being "deeply" in mud. Since Scenic Avenue is also a school bus
route, my concerns for our children's safety have also diminished
with this significant effort. Thanks again.

Joe Hannigan

Save examples

Dear Editor:

I have been encouraged to write more letters.

I have never said or felt that change won't happen, of course it
will. But it doesn't have to be negative nor does it have to be
destructive.

We could hold on to what we have - as examples the work done in
the recent past on the home occupied by Bill Anderson, attorney, and
Randall Davis' jewel adjacent to the bridge.

Mr. Vision, it is a shame you didn't put utilities and a village
in on your property out east and leave this precious little village
alone.

Cindy Gustafson

Public apology

Dear Editor:

I would like to apologize to The Pagosa SUN and to the general
public. I wrote the letter to the editor printed in last week's paper
titled "Why 11 days?"

Even though I felt strongly about the letter, I asked a friend and
coworker, David Leigh, if he would be willing to put his name on it,
and sign it. He said he would do so.

I feel the need to explain why I concealed my identity. Two
members of my family work for the Archuleta County Sheriff's
Department. I did not want my family members retaliated against, put
in an awkward work environment, or fired because of my opinion. If
you are reading this and think, "That would never happen," you might
be right.

However, I am sure you can understand my concern that my family
members might be retaliated against when I publicly voice my
frustration with the current administration running the sheriff's
department.

What I did was wrong; I put a friend in an uncomfortable position.
I should have just risked everything and put my name on the letter
from the beginning. I apologize, and I will never do it again. If
anyone is considering having someone else sign your letter, please
don't do it. Either sign it yourself or don't submit it at all. I
hope everyone understands why I could not put my name on the letter.
I look forward to the day we can trust the leaders of our sheriff's
department again.

Chuck Kelley

Need Crossroads

Dear Editor:

For the past several years efforts have been made on many levels
attempting to stop the unnecessary and seemingly inhumane practice of
shackling mental health consumers in the back of a Jeep and
transporting them over two mountain passes for more than five hours
to a treatment facility in Pueblo, especially when that person is in
extreme distress.

Our geographic isolation combined with budget restraints over
recent years has driven us to the reality that we are going to have
to fix this problem by ourselves.

To that end, Crossroads was developed. Crossroads is the new
regional emergent care psychiatric residential and detox unit being
built on the new Mercy Medical Center campus. This innovative and
state of the art treatment facility will help consumers stay close to
family and community while dealing with a mental health crisis.

Every town, city, county, law enforcement and human service entity
has endorsed this regional community partnership, helping to move us
all toward a healthy mental health future.

Crossroads is about families. It's about healing. And it's about
communities. For more information about Crossroads, please contact
Beth at 259-2162. Our capital campaign is nearing our goal but we
still need your help.

Sincerely,

Rep. Mark Larson

Petrox opponent

Dear Editor:

I am writing on behalf of the Piedra Park Metropolitan Improvement
District board of directors to express our concern about the
application by Petrox Resources, Inc. for a "major oil and gas
facility permit for a captioned compressor site" just off of Colo.
151.

Our district provides treated water to the Piedra Park subdivision
from two wells located next to the Piedra River just above Navajo
Lake in Arboles. Our primary concern with the proposed compressor
facility is the toxic chemicals - primarily triethylene glycol - that
will be used at this facility. This compressor facility would be
located next to Stollsteimer Creek that flows into the Piedra River.

If a chemical spill were to occur at this site, the Piedra River
and our water supply could be contaminated. We are the only municipal
water supply in this area and contamination of this water supply
would be devastating for our community and the area. In addition, a
chemical spill at this facility could contaminate Navajo Lake.

We understand that you - our commissioners - are being asked to
approve a special use permit for this facility. This permit will be
the only permit Petrox will have to obtain for this facility. There
will be no EPA review of this proposed facility and no Colorado Oil
and Gas Commission review of this proposed facility. This makes your
review of Petrox's proposal and your decision on this facility even
more important. We urge you to deny Petrox's request for a compressor
facility at this location. This proposed location is not appropriate
for this facility and even a "small" possibility of contamination of
this waterway is not acceptable.

In addition, no matter where Petrox may eventually build this
facility, we have additional concerns that need to be addressed. Our
understanding is that Petrox is a small company with limited capital.
No matter where this facility is located, it is essential that Petrox
provide bonding (or something similar) that will guarantee that
should there be future problems with this facility there will be
funds to take care of these problems. No matter where this facility
is located, the conditions that you put on this permit will affect
our county for years to come.

If you have any questions about our concerns, feel free to call me
at 883-2283.

Tammy McDowell

Who's jail chief?

Dear Editor:

So why does it take seven days to lock up four people for felony
assault?

Possibility: Maybe our sheriff didn't even know about this
situation. Which is a distinct outside chance. Why? Because we have
no sheriff.

So, who's in charge? Do ya think it's head jailer? No. Can't be
the head jailer; he's too busy making sure no one else escapes from
the jail again.

I've got it! What we have here is a county sheriff's department
that more resembles the Keystone Cops with Bud Abbott and Lou
Costello in leadership positions.

This community needs a sheriff who knows how to set his priorities
and can move from an 11-day priority to an 11-microsecond priority.
Of course, you have to be available and be informed to accomplish
that task and not cater to some lame brain excuse that my detective
would be overworked.

Maybe the undersheriff is the guy in charge. Now, I know that he
can move about very quickly. Because he has his very own personal,
shiny new, $35,000 SUV that I helped purchase and which he drives
from his garage at home to the underground garage beneath the jail
five days a week and we pay for the gas and maintenance. Such a deal!

Let's not jump to conclusions folks: It is entirely conceivable
that nobody wanted to wake up our local judge and upset him at such a
late hour to get an immediate bench warrant on the individuals.

Tough. Our local judge is paid well over $100,000 a year with full
benefit package. Get him up!

Solution: time to elect new blood as our sheriff who knows how to
use his position as the most powerful man in our county and will not
be reluctant to use it.

We need a "micro" sheriff.

Jim Sawicki

Editor's note: In reality, in this context, the coroner is the
"most powerful man" in the county, since he has the power to arrest
the sheriff.

Your claim about a $100,000 salary for our "local judge" is
erroneous. If you are referring to the Archuleta County Court Judge,
he works part-time as county court judge and one-quarter time as a
district court magistrate, at a total salary less than three-quarters
what you claim. If you are referring to the municipal court judge,
his is a part-time position.

A check with the county court judge reveals he is awakened
frequently at a late hour with warrant requests from local law
enforcement agencies.

Fluoride response

Dear Editor:

The letter in last week's SUN about fluoridation prompted me to
respond. I would like to make two points.

The first, and most important, is that parents of young children
should consider having them use one of the inexpensive fluoride mouth
rinses available in grocery and drug stores. Those products have been
shown to be effective in reducing the prevalence of caries in
children. Moreover, they pose no health risk as long as they are not
swallowed by very young children. Don't take my word for it; as the
TV ads say, "Ask your dentist."

The second point is that the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation
District decision to stop adding fluoride to our water hardly
represents a revolutionary movement. Fort Collins, when faced with
the same decision, established a Fluoride Technical Study Group
(FTSG) to assess the risks and benefits of community water
fluoridation. After thoroughly studying all aspects of the subject,
that group issued a thoughtful report in April, 2003 recommending
that Fort Collins continue fluoridating its water. When the
appropriate authorities adopted the FTSG recommendation, that action
was challenged by "clean water advocates" who forced a referendum on
the issue. In March, 2005, the well informed citizens of Fort Collins
voted to continue giving their children the protection from caries
that drinking fluoridated water provides.

Gene Wissler

Community
News

Colorfest needs balloon chase
crews

This weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the Colorfest Balloon
Rally.

With 57 hot air balloons registered, it is sure to be a
spectacular event. Pilots from all over the Southwest will be
participating and would love to have Pagosa locals get some hands-on
experience with ballooning.

If you are physically fit, have a valid driver's license and would
like to be part of a chase crew you are encouraged to do so. Chase
crews help the pilots set the balloons up for inflation and launch,
keep visual contact throughout the flight and assist in deflation and
packing up once the balloon has reached its final destination.
Balloons become a part of the wind, and are guided by the direction
in which it blows, so the landing spot can be just about anywhere.

To participate, be at the Chamber of Commerce Saturday no later
than 7 a.m. to be placed with a pilot.

If you have any questions, please e-mail them to
info@pagosarally.com

Be ready for Colorfest, learn
your balloon jargon

Aeronaut - One who operates or travels in a balloon.

Aerostat - The balloon itself.

Altimeter - An instrument to register changes in atmospheric
pressure resulting from a change in altitude. It is calibrated to
indicate height above mean sea level.

Apex - The uppermost point or crown of the balloon envelope where
gore ends and load tapes meet.

Balloonmeister - The person responsible for the various balloon
activities at a balloon meet. Also a Balloonmeisterin.

Basket - The cockpit of the balloon, designed to hold passengers,
fuel tanks and operational control systems. A basket made of woven
wood.

Blast-Valve - A high-pressure fuel valve used to put heat into the
envelope.

BTU - British Thermal Unit. The amount of heat required to raise
the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.
Burners on balloons are rated by BTU output.

Chase Crew - The crew members who follow the balloon in a vehicle
to retrieve it after landing.

Crown Line - A handling line some 100 feet long attached to the
apex or crown of the balloon. Used to steady the balloon during
inflation and deflation.

Deflation Port - The rip panel or section of the envelope that
separates from it to allow hot air to escape quickly.

Envelope - The fabric portion of the balloon that holds the hot
air.

Equator - Where the circumference of the balloon is the greatest.

Equilibrium - The state of balance when the balloon's lift equals
its weight and it becomes buoyant.

Gore - The lengthy pieces of balloon fabric which taper at each
end to form sections of the envelope.

Handling Line - A 50-foot rope attached near the equator. Used to
maintain stability of the balloon during inflation or deflation.

Inflation - The process by which air is forced into the envelope
and then heated.

Maneuvering Vent - A closeable flap operated by a control line
which permits hot air to be vented from the envelope.

Metering Valve - A high-pressure fuel valve used to regulate the
flow of propane.

Mouth - The opening at the base of a hot-air balloon.

Panel - The fabric section part of a gore on the envelope.

Pilot Light - A separate small burner with a constant flame.
Purpose is to ignite the burner.

Propane - The liquefied fuel used to heat the air in the envelope.
It is under high pressure and is burned as a gas.

Pyrometer - A temperature gauge to measure the heat at the top of
the envelope.

Rip Line - The line (usually colored red) that runs from the rip
panel into the basket. It is the means of initiating the deflation
procedure.

Rip Panel - The large circular or triangular section of the
balloon which is opened by pulling the rip line.

Skirt - An optional extension of the envelope usually made of
flameproof Nomex. Its purpose is to help channel hot air into the
mouth of the balloon.

Sun Tower hosts discussion of
native equinox celebration

By Karen Aspin

Special to The PREVIEW

Watch the sun rise over the San Juans this first day of autumn,
and discuss how the Ancient Chimney Rock Puebloans may have survived
and why they celebrated the Equinox.

This unique event begins at Sun Tower at Chimney Rock, a place not
visited on regular tours, and concludes at Stone Basin, giving two
viewing locations.

Tickets are $15 and reservations are required. Due to the hiking
and length of the program, it's suggested that children under 12 not
attend.

Visitors need to come prepared for the outdoors by wearing
appropriate clothing and good walking shoes. You may wish to bring a
blanket or cushion to sit on during the program.

The gate will be open from 6:15-6:20 a.m., after which there will
be no admittance. Sunrise is at 6:56 a.m., and the program runs about
2 hours in length.

Chimney Rock Archeological Area is 17 miles west of Pagosa
Springs, and three miles south of U.S. 160 on Colo. 151. For more
information or to make a reservation, call the Visitors' Cabin at
883-5359 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. More information is on the Web site
at www.chimneyrockco.org.

This event is sponsored by Chimney Rock Interpretive Association,
Inc., in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, San Juan National
Forest, Pagosa District.

A passion for the banjo

By Paul Roberts

Special to The PREVIEW

"For me, the banjo is a magical instrument that brings sparkle to
my life," says Charles Ogsbury, famous banjo maker from Boulder.

Ogsbury displayed several of his beautiful instruments at the
recent Four Corners Folk Festival.

He has dedicated his life to building banjos. He grew up listening
to bluegrass in northern Kentucky. Later he moved to Boulder where he
started playing the banjo.

"It was this experience, of making your own music, that I really
fell in love with," he said. "Instead of being a spectator, you could
make your own music by yourself, or with a friend or two. It was a
wonderful discovery for me."

Seeing a need for a good quality, reasonably priced banjo, Ogsbury
came up with an original design in 1959 and launched the Ode Banjo
Company. Now, forty-six years later, he's still building banjos
through his current company, called Ome Banjos.

Ogsbury's passion to build world-class banjos has taken him
through some interesting experiences, like the time "a 110 mph
Chinook wind roared down the mountain, tore off the roof of our new
shop, and blew in the cinder block walls. I couldn't believe the
damage. As I stood there that morning looking at the devastation, the
wind was still blowing so hard you had to crawl to keep from being
blown over. The phone rang and I said, 'Hello, we're not open today,
could you call back next week?' With the help of friends the shop was
back up again in a few months."

Besides hearing all the great music at the folk fest, a great
bonus is meeting interesting people like Charles Ogsbury. Listening
to Ogsbury express his passion for the banjo, it's obvious that his
passion for the instrument means a great deal more to him than just a
business venture.

"To me, the banjo is a very grassroots instrument. It's somehow
close to nature, close to the mountains, and what I consider the good
life," he said.

Boosters announce auditions for
new 'A Christmas Carol'

By Dale Morris

Special to The PREVIEW

The Pagosa Springs Music Boosters is again excited to bring you
Michael Demaio's "A Christmas Carol" for its holiday production.

We look forward to establishing a Pagosa Springs tradition of
holiday shows that operate on a three- year performance schedule.
It's time to bring Scrooge, Bob Crachit, Tiny Tim, and London of the
1800s back to life.

Auditions for this magnificent show will be held 6-8:30 p.m.
Thursday-Friday, Sept. 29-30 in the band room at the high school.

Music Boosters anticipates a cast of approximately 35 performers,
and are looking especially for adult men and women. We also need
young adults and teens of all ages, with additional opportunities for
children.

Performance dates are Dec. 1-3 in the evenings, with an additional
matinee Dec. 3.

Please come prepared to sing one verse of an audition song from
either "Christmas Carol" or another musical. An accompanist will be
provided. Dancing and script reading will also be part of auditions.

For more information, call Michael DeWinter at 731- 5262.

Shabbat services at Har
Shalom

Fri., Sept. 23

Shabbat services followed by Kiddush with potluck dessert Oneg
will be led by members of the congregation at Congregation Har Shalom
7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, in Durango.

For information about Congregation Har Shalom, call 375-0613.

Full moon by Native American
flute is a winning combination

By Karen Aspin

Special to The PREVIEW

The magical sound of the Native American flute, accompanied by the
full moon in the ancient surroundings of Chimney Rock is a winning
combination.

Visitors to Chimney Rock Archaeological Area in southwest
Colorado, can enjoy this experience Saturday as the popular Native
American flute player, Charles Martinez, accompanies the educational
program scheduled Saturday.

Martinez, a native Pagosan of Jicarilla Apache and Navajo
heritage, is a master of the traditional style of Indian flute
playing and a local crowd pleaser of many years.

While awaiting the moon's 7:15 p.m. arrival near the Great House
Pueblo site, visitors will learn about the Ancestral Puebloans, the
archaeological relationship of Chimney Rock to Chaco Canyon, and
archaeoastronomy theories.

Tickets are $15; reservations are required. The gate will be open
5:45-6:15 p.m. for those attending the full moon program. Late
arrivals cannot be accommodated. Due to the hike involved to the mesa
top and the two to three hour length of the program, it's suggested
that children under 12 not attend.

As an added feature to the Full Moon Program, the Chimney Rock
Interpretive Association offers an optional guided "early tour" of
the lower archaeological sites at Chimney Rock for an additional fee
of $4. The gate opens 4:45 p.m. for those signed up for the early
tour prior to the Full Moon Program.

Visitors need to come prepared for the outdoors by bringing a
flashlight, warm clothing, good walking shoes, insect repellent and a
blanket or cushion to sit on during the program. In the event of bad
weather, the program will be canceled and possibly rescheduled for
the following evening.

Chimney Rock Archeological Area is 17 miles west of Pagosa
Springs, three miles south of U.S. 160 on Colo. 151. For reservations
and more information, call the Visitors' Cabin 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily at
883-5359 , or check the web site at www.chimneyrockco.org.

Note: For those interested in the Major Lunar Standstill (MLS),
the moon will not rise between Chimney Rock and Companion Rock during
this Full Moon Program event. Please review the MLS section of our
Web site for our 2005 schedule and details on the MLS programs.

Chimney Rock Interpretive Association, Inc., sponsors the Full
Moon Program in partnership with the USDA Forest Service, San Juan
National Forest, Pagosa Ranger District.

County 4-H adds to state fair
list

By Pamela Bomkamp

Special to The PREVIEW

Here are some more top Archuleta County 4-H members who captured
honors at the recent Colorado State Fair:

Rabbit: Bethany Wanket Best of Breed-Fuzzy Lop, second place New
Zealand and first place Showmanship; Breanna Voorhis first place Met
Pen and sixth place Showmanship. Lamb Re'ahna Ray second place Light
Weight Class and sold at auction; Raesha Ray 10th place Medium Light
Weight Class.

Swine Raesha Ray fifth place Spotted Poland Class.

Heifer Danelle Condon Senior Champion Scottish Highland
Showmanship.

Steer Crissy Ferguson 11th place Light Weight Class.

Clogging class opens Sept. 21

Elation Center for the Arts is offering a new beginning clogging
class Wednesday evenings, starting Sept. 21. Class starts at 5:30
p.m. and is held in the Community United Methodist Church Fellowship
Hall on Lewis Street. Tuition is $5 per class.

A great way to get in shape, clogging is fun and easy to learn.
You can clog in street shoes and comfortable clothes. The clogging
you see today is an evolution of the Appalachian mountain folk dances
of the 1800s, a blending of Irish, German, English, Dutch and African
American influences. Clogging has the influence of several other
dance styles including Irish, square dance, jazz and some tap.

Instructor Carla Roberts will teach the beginning steps necessary
to learn many of the exciting line dances in this beginner's class.
No partner is necessary.

Paul Roberts will provide accompaniment on the banjo, playing the
lively traditional American dance tunes perfect for clogging.

If you would like to experience clogging in a relaxed,
low-pressure setting this class is for you.

Elation Center for the Arts is a local nonprofit dedicated to the
preservation and performance of traditional folk music and dance from
around the world. To find out about our other music and dance
classes, concerts and the ECA volunteer program call 731-3117.

This service will explore what to say after you've said "I'm a
Unitarian Universalist."

Inspired by the Rev. Liz McMaster at the Four Corners UU Retreat
in Vallecito last July, program leader Pauline Benetti has adapted
Rev. McMaster's program to fit the needs of the local UU Fellowship.

The service will begin with a short reading on UU values and then
involve members of the congregation in a discussion considering how
they themselves would respond, or have responded, to this query.

This service would also be an excellent introduction to Unitarian
Universalist principles and practices for anyone curious about this
denomination.

The service and children's program begin at 10:30 a.m. in the
Pagosah Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall, Unit 15, Greenbriar
Plaza. Turn east on Greenbriar Drive off of North Pagosa by the fire
station, then left into the parking lot and look for the big sign.

A potluck luncheon will follow this service. All are welcome.

Ed Center sets course on
starting own small business

By Renee Haywood

Special to The PREVIEW

Would you like to be your own boss?

Would you like to own a small business but don't know how to get
started?

Or, maybe you have a great idea for a business but don't know what
to do with it.

The Archuleta County Education Center has the answer. We are
offering a class titled "How to Start, Grow and Successfully Manage
Your Own Small Business."

This program is specifically created for people who are interested
in owning their own business - but want to make sure they get the
right start. These classes will give you the chance to examine the
many steps required to start, grow and successfully manage your own
small business.

Rich Lindblad is the principal owner, manager and presenter of the
seminars. He is a seasoned lecturer who holds both an undergraduate
degree in management science as well as a master's degree in
business. Rich has spent over 15 years teaching students at both the
undergraduate and graduate levels, across the full spectrum of
business studies.

Rich formed The Lindblad Group, LLC consulting firm in order to
share his knowledge of this subject. These classes are intended to
give you the head start in your quest to become a successful small
business owner.

Rich's goal is to create a foundation of understanding that will
help you decide if starting a new business - or acquiring an existing
business - is right for you.

If you are interested, or would like more information, contact the
Education Center at 264-2835.

Local Chatter

Pagosans have, seek links with
Katrina victims

By Kate Terry

PREVIEW Columnist

Many Pagosa Springs residents have connections with the areas hit
by Hurricane Katrina. The list is long, but here are a few stories to
tell.

Glen Raby, the geologist with the U.S. Forest Service, is from New
Orleans. He was in Denver just before the storm hit land and
contacted his relatives.

All had evacuated and all were accounted for except the husband of
a niece, a policemen (who later turned up).

Glen's home place was eight feet under water in Hurricane Betsy in
1965 and survived. This time it is under six feet of water and Glen
doesn't think it will make it.

Some of you will remember Mark Newlander, who worked in the
kitchen for a while at Pagosa Lodge. Mark left Pagosa to join Emeril
Lagasse's staff in New Orleans.

Lagasse has lost all three of his restaurants to flood waters and
has now joined (as has Paul Prudhomme) the staff of Commander's
Palace in the Garden District of New Orleans.

Mark, his wife, Karen, and their two children were evacuated to
Houston to his sister's home. Their parents, Ruth and Bob, have just
moved from here to Georgetown, Texas.

People want to help, and are doing so. This story is an
inspirational example.

Chris Pierce and Summer Phillips had a nearly new 26-foot
fifth-wheel trailer they weren't using and decided to donate it to
hurricane relief ... to take it down to San Antonio to the Rev.
Maurice Friedman, rector of the Church of the Holy Spirit, an
Episcopal congregation. They knew him because he was so good to
Summer's mother when she was dying. They filled up the fifth-wheel
with donated bedding and supplies. People are so good.

The church had taken in 10 families and two members - one
well-connected with H&R grocers and the other with H.T. Zachary
Construction - are trying to find jobs for them.

The Father is a converted Jew who served as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force. He drives a motorcycle and doesn't wear his collar on the street. His is a good place to send a donation. His Web site is www.holyspirit-episcopal.com. The mailing address is Church of the Holy Spirit, 6676 Utsa Blvd., San Antonio, Texas 78249.

There are other organizations to which you can send money: The
American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Roman Catholic Church,
the Episcopal Church and the Methodist Church. Their telephone
numbers are being regularly listed on TV.

Fun on the run

Bill and his wife, Martha, went to the state fair every year - and
every year Bill would say, "Martha. I'd like to ride in that
airplane."

The pilot overheard them and said, "Folks, I'll make you a deal.
I'll take you both up for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the
entire trip and not say one word, I won't charge you; but if you say
one word it's fifty dollars." Bill and Martha agreed and up they
went.

The pilot did all kinds of twists and turns, rolls and dives, but
not a word was heard. He did everything he could think of to get them
to break their silence.

When they landed, the pilot turned to Bill and said, "By golly, I
did everything I could think of to get you to yell out, but you
didn't."

If you had a GED diploma, it could make a world of difference in
your life; a promotion, a better job, more money, and a higher
standard of living to name a few.

If you think getting your GED is hard, you're wrong.

If you need help, there are classes to help you prepare for the
GED tests at your local adult learning center, the Archuleta County
Education Center. Besides instructors that can assist you, there are
even computer GED programs at the center available for your use.

"If" is a very big word.

GED is bigger.

The GED test provides adults over 16 years of age who are beyond
the age of compulsory high school attendance under state law with an
opportunity to earn a high school equivalency diploma. In order to
pass the GED test, a student must pass a series of five tests in
writing skills, social studies, science, interpreting literature and
arts, and mathematics. Successfully passing these sections
demonstrates that the student has acquired a level of learning that
is comparable to that of high school graduates. The GED Testing
Service has set a national standard for the minimum score an examinee
can receive in order to pass the GED.

The Archuleta County Education Center's 2005-06 school year is
under way. Kathy Calderone is the new GED coordinator and she is
available each Tuesday and Wednesday 2-8 p.m. If you need GED
instruction or know someone who does need assistance, please call our
office for additional information and registration.

Call for additional information or stop by the Archuleta County
Education Center, in downtown Pagosa Springs at Lewis and 4th
streets, 264-2835.

Community Center News

Service hours changed at center

By Mercy Korsgren

PREVIEW Columnist

The center has adopted new hours of operation to better serve our
community.

We have had many requests to extend the hours and to open
Saturdays, so we'll try to meet this need. Before the end of October
we'll evaluate the situation and decide if there's a need to continue
with these operating hours during winter months.

With the extended hours and additional day, the public will have
more time to use the computers and take advantage of the availability
of the gymnasium and the game room. Thanks go to Michelle Jamison,
our new receptionist/administrative assistant, who is willing to work
Saturdays.

Italian cooking

The Italian cooking class was a great success and lots of fun. As
a result, this program will continue until Edith gets snowbound at
her home in Chromo.

The group of 10 women enjoyed the cooking demonstration followed
by a sit-down lunch around a big table. The chicken cutlets with
oregano, basil, parsley, garlic and onion powder, grated Parmesan
cheese, salt and pepper were delicious. I heard from the ladies that
it was very easy recipe.

Along with the chicken, Edith prepared a green salad with extra
virgin olive oil and fresh lemon dressing. Italian food without wine
is a misnomer, so white wine was served. I will ask Edith next time
what difference it makes if one uses plain olive oil instead of extra
virgin olive oil. What is extra virgin olive oil?

Today's class will be seafood - scallops and zucchini with
linguini. On the side will be tomato salad with mozzarella cheese and
fresh basil. Yummy! Also, as requested, members of the class will
participate in a hands-on part of the cooking - chopping, mixing,
etc. Edith will select a more involved menu for future classes. The
class is limited to 10 people and though it's full right now I
encourage those interested to call 264-4152 and ask to be on the list
for alternates.

Deployed to Katrina

Katrina update.

Alvin Lessel, a Pagosa Red Cross volunteer, has been deployed to
help in the disaster area. Alvin is the second to be deployed from
our town and the seventh from our area - Southwest Chapter. New
volunteers are always welcome. Call Edie Corwin, 903-4083.

How to help

From the American Red Cross Press Room Facts At A Glance (Sept.
2).

- Due to the generosity of the American people, the American Red
Cross stands ready to meet the monumental challenge of helping to
rebuild lives.

- Funds received to date: The American Red Cross estimates that,
as of Sept. 1, it had received $196.9 million in gifts and pledges
for the hurricane relief effort.

- To donate: Call (800) HELP NOW or (800) 257-7575 (Spanish).
Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local
American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box
37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online
contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

- To volunteer: Individuals interested in volunteering for the
American Red Cross should contact their local Red Cross chapter. In
Pagosa, call Edie Corwin, 264-0496 or 903-4083.

- To learn more: The magnitude of this disaster is bringing
together the experience, expertise and resources of many
organizations and agencies to meet the unprecedented humanitarian
needs of the hurricane survivors. To learn more about the
coordination of efforts and additional resources, visit
www.usafreedomcorps.gov.

Computer news

The focus of almost everyone's attention in the last two weeks has
been Hurricane Katrina. Becky was in Alaska, glued to the television,
watching coverage of the storm and its aftermath; and she was viewing
Web sites constructed by people directly impacted by the storm and
converted into ongoing reports from citizen journalists.

During the height of the storm, the details of what was happening
in New Orleans were available on several personal blogs. One in
particular gave accounts of the noise and loneliness, failing
electric power, and the blogger's attempts to keep her Blackberry
going by using a car battery to recharge it -- fascinating, but scary
reading.

And after the storm Becky was surprised to see the various ways in
which people used the Internet to mobilize and communicate. The
Times-Picayune, the New Orleans newspaper, quickly began to publish
electronic-only editions from Baton Rouge, La. Its Internet site,
nola.com, is a good place to go for recovery news. The Red Cross
established Internet kiosks at its evacuation centers. The Los
Angeles Times reports the demand for information is overwhelming.
Check out latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/ for an analysis of the
help the Internet has provided in the crisis.

Becky also read that over 50 individual organizations have set up
databases which list survivors, those who are missing and those who
died. Of course, these lists are searchable for families and friends
to reconnect.

Becky's computer classes, 10a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. for seniors and
the general public, respectively, are back after her two weeks
vacation. Good to have you back Becky, and thanks for all your hard
work.

Upcoming events

The Hunters' Ball and Festival of Trees have been tabled for next
year due to lack of time. The advisory board strongly believes we
need to start at least six months ahead to have a successful
fund-raising. So, both events are on our 2006 calendar and I will
present the complete 2006 calendar of events at the next board
meeting in October. On the positive side, we have two programs
starting soon.

New programs

First: 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, hear and dance to Cajun
music. It seems like more and more people are reading this column
about the community center. We now have two volunteers on board with
two interesting programs ready to roll.

Our first talented volunteer is John Gwin who loves to play and
dance to Cajun music. John is retired and would like to give back to
his community. I will have more about his personal profile next time.
Here's what he shared about Cajun music.

"This past August was the 250th anniversary of the expulsion of
the Acadians from Nova Scotia by the British. Many of the deportees
eventually arrived in South Louisiana and became known as Cajuns,
famous for their cuisine and joie de vivre (joy of life).

"Some of the Cajun music is hundreds of years old dating back to
1600s in France. Almost all Cajun music is sung in 'Cajun French'
which some describe as a 'low' French. Today you can dial into Cajun
French music radio stations on the Internet: KRVS-Lafayette are
KBON-Eunice are two of my favorites.

"Until the late 1800s the violin was the lead instrument in Cajun
music. The Germans, in the 1830s, developed accordions that had a
single row of buttons with four rows of reeds, in three octaves.
These types of diatonic accordions are called melodeons and are keyed
like harmonicas. The melodeons began to arrive in Louisiana via
German immigrants during the mid 1870s and were slow to become
utilized by Acadians (Cajuns) because they were in keys in which
fiddlers had difficulty returning or finding the notes. But when the
C and D keyed melodeons came along and because they could be heard
across the dance floor (with no electricity then, fiddlers could not
always be heard across a noisy dance floor) by 1910 to 1920, a happy
marriage with fiddlers occurred. After WW II, Cajuns could not obtain
melodeons because all (except one) accordion factories were within
the East German state behind the Communist wall.

"So Cajuns, because of a love of music and a sharp dance beat,
which these melodeons can produce, began to make copies of the German
models themselves. There are now scores of builders in South
Louisiana who build the very best melodeons in the world.

"Because Cajun musicians have saved this type of accordion from
extinction in the U.S . and have also sparked a renewed interest of
an almost forgotten accordion type in Europe with Cajun Music, many
people in Louisiana have named it the Cajun Accordion.

"Cajun dance steps fall into three broad groups: waltz, two-step
and jitterbug. But when you go to a traditional Cajun dance hall such
as LA Poussiere (The Dust) in Breaux Bridge, La., you will observe
that there is actually no wrong way to dance to Cajun music. The
important thing is to get on the dance floor and 'pass a good time.'

"I am interested in playing and dancing to Cajun music. If there
is an accordion player out there, I need help! Lache pas la patate.
'Don't give up!'"

Call John Gwin, 731-9666. Those interested may also call the
community center, 264-4152. Don't forget to mark your calendar 7-9
p.m. Sept. 28. Join us for an evening of fun and meet new friends

Our second volunteer is Bodil Holstein. Bodil would like to help
start an Austrian/German Club to freshen up the group's
Austrian/German language, to dance Walzer and others, and to get
together once a month for social over an Austrian or German meal.

According to Bodil, she has been asked so many times about the
existence of such a club. We have many clubs and residents from
different ethnic backgrounds in Pagosa and none of this kind is known
to me or Bodil. So mark your calendar for the organizational meeting
here at the center. Those interested call 264-4152 or call Bodil at
903-8800.

Free programs

Do you have a special talent or hobby you would like to share -
singing, dancing, arts and crafts, cooking, foreign language
conversation group, coffee mornings, sports? We're looking for
volunteers interested in forming interest groups. Call me at
264-4152.

Have your party or meeting here. We have very affordable rooms for
small, midsize and large groups. A catering kitchen is also
available. Tables, chairs, a portable stage, a dance floor and audio
visual equipment are available too. The center is at 451 Hot Springs
Blvd. Call 264-4152.

Senior News

Day trips coming for seniors at
The Den

By Musetta Wollenweber

SUN Columnist

Congratulations to Judy Meyer, our senior of the week. Just in
case you have no idea what I'm referring to, Dawnie Silva (kitchen
director) draws a number every Friday and the lucky winner eats free
the following week. Be sure to join us Fridays and see if you'll be
the next lucky senior of the week.

Durango/Silverton

Great news! For those of you who were hemming and hawing about
taking this wonderful train ride to enjoy the fall colors and didn't
sign up, well

It's not too late for the trip on Sept. 22; the deadline to sign
up has been extended until today. The cost is $62.10 for the train
ride plus $5 for the transportation from The Den to the train
station. We have a small change in our departure time: meet at The
Den at 7:45 a.m. Your first stop will be the train depot in Durango
where you will board their bus for a kicked-back trip up to the
quaint town of Silverton. Once in Silverton you'll have time to
wander and shop this little town and stop in one of the little
restaurants and grab a bite to eat. Then, at 2 p.m., it's all aboard
for the trip of a lifetime. Relax and enjoy the beautiful fall colors
and scenery on the 3.5 hour historic train ride back to Durango.
Dress warmly and bring along some extra layers of clothes. Don't
delay, pick up that phone and make your reservation now at 264-2167

Free movie

This month's movie at The Den is "Pirates of the Caribbean: The
Curse of the Black Pearl." Flamboyant pirate Jack Sparrow (Johnny
Depp, in an Oscar-nominated performance), steals the show as a
charming, carefree, 17th century pirate who roams the Caribbean. When
a rival pirate pillages the village of Port Royal and kidnaps the
governor's daughter, Elizabeth, Jack decides to help Elizabeth's
love, Will, save her. Of course, the mission isn't quite that simple.
Please join us for this great comedy adventure movie and enjoy free
popcorn Friday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. For those of you who really read
our newsletter in detail, there is a typo - the movie is being shown
on the 16th.

Computer news

This, from Becky Herman.

"The focus of almost everyone's attention in the last two weeks
has been Hurricane Katrina. I was in Alaska, glued to the television
watching coverage of the storm and its aftermath; and I was viewing
Web sites, constructed by people directly impacted by the storm and
converted into ongoing reports from citizen journalists.

"During the height of the storm, the details of what was happening
in New Orleans were available on several personal blogs. One in
particular gave accounts of the noise and loneliness, failing
electric power, and the blogger's attempts to keep her Blackberry
going by using a car battery to recharge it - fascinating, but scary
reading.

"And after the storm I was surprised to see the various ways in
which people used the Internet to mobilize and communicate. The
Times-Picayune, the New Orleans newspaper, quickly began to publish
electronic-only editions from Baton Rouge, LA. Its Internet site,
nola.com, is a good place to go for recovery news. The Red Cross
established Internet kiosks at its evacuation centers. The Los
Angeles Times reports that the demand for information is
overwhelming. Check out latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/ for an
analysis of the help the Internet has provided in the crisis. I have
read that over 50 individual organizations have set up databases
which list survivors, those who are missing, and those who died; of
course, these lists are searchable for families and friends to
reconnect.

"Other links worth investigating are:

- craigslist.org, a very inclusive resource list for the San
Francisco Bay area, has created a list of other US cities for which
it distributes information. One of these is New Orleans. Temporary
job and housing information, a list of missing people, as well as a
Katrina discussion are all included there.

- buzzmachine.com is a blog written by Jeff Jarvis who will soon
become the new media program director for the University of New
York's Graduate School of Journalism. Jeff's thoughts are always
interesting, especially when you don't agree with him.

- katrinalist.net, where you can do some volunteer work by
registering yourself as a data entry person. The site links you to
information which is waiting to be entered; you do the actual data
entry.

"The Internet Public Library states in its almanac section that
there are 605.6 million computers connected to the Internet
worldwide. We've always known that playing with computers is fun and
interesting, sometimes even educational. But now Hurricane Katrina
has highlighted some new and perhaps even more important uses for
this technology as the "new news" source for millions and as a means
for interactive personal communications in an emergency. It is this
capability for two-way communication that is most exciting, since
this is not possible through television and print media."

Chimney Rock tour

Chimney Rock's dramatic twin spires mark the home to the ancestral
Puebloan people a thousand years ago. You can experience the
intriguing story of those who came before us as the architecture,
pottery and other artifacts give us a glimpse into their daily lives.

Join the folks of The Den Wednesday, Sept. 21, for a special tour
of Chimney Rock for $5 to learn its mysteries, myths and legends.

Carpooling (with limited room in a minivan) will be the mode of
transport. We will meet at Chimney Rock at 1:10 p.m. with our tour
beginning at 1:30. Please sign up for this archeological excursion at
The Den office by Friday, Sept. 16. The tour is approximately 2.5
hours (with the lower part of the tour being handicap accessible
which last approximately one hour.) Immerse yourself in this ancient
culture with a stunning backdrop as you explore the wonders of
Chimney Rock.

Sky Ute Casino

OK you fun lovers, it's once again time for a fun-filled afternoon
at the Sky Ute Casino. These great folks will be providing free
transportation for you and some free goodies upon your arrival. Join
us for lunch on the 20th then pile on for the ride to Ignacio. The
bus leaves here at 1 p.m. Advance reservations are required as
seating is limited.

White Cane Society

This informative group for folks with low vision will meet again
here at The Den Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. For questions
concerning this group, please contact Gail at the Southwest Center
for Independence at 259-1672.

AARP ElderWatch

When evaluating health-related products, be skeptical. If
something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. According to the
FTC, here are some signs of a fraudulent claim:

- Statements that suggest the product can treat or cure diseases.
For example: "shrinks tumors" or "cures impotency."

- Limited availability and advance payment requirements. For
example: "Hurry. This offer will not last. Send us a check now to
reserve your supply."

- Promises of no-risk "money-back guarantees."

Table 9

Times change, people come and go. Our extended family has wished
Bill and Glenda Clark a fond farewell. Bill and Glenda were avid
members of our ornery Table 9 and participated in so many of our
events, it was such a pleasure to have them here the past few years,
they will certainly be missed. Rumor has it that the Dennys from
Table 9 have also moved. Apparently we need a new group of ornery
people for Table 9 since I found a "For Rent" sign on it Wednesday

We have received our VA Health Care
transportation assistance money and stand ready to help our Archuleta
County veterans with fuel costs to Durango and Farmington,
Albuquerque, Grand Junction, and overnight accommodations to
Albuquerque VAMC and Grand Junction VAMC.

As many of you who follow this column know,
the Pagosa Springs Veterans of Foreign Wars was successful in
obtaining a $5,000 grant from the Colorado Veterans Trust Fund for
2005.

I will be administering the grant aid money
from this office.

Funds received

The wheels of government move slowly
sometimes, but we finally received the money and have established a
special bank account for the purpose of reimbursing local veterans
for fuel and accommodation expenses while traveling to their VA
health care appointments.

You can use your own vehicle or the VSO
grant vehicles that many of you are familiar with.

Assistance available

All I need to assist you with fuel money or
overnight accommodations is that you have verifiable proof (receipt,
appointment schedule etc.) that you traveled to a VAHC appointment
and we will reimburse you a set amount of money, depending on the
location. This is retroactive to Aug. 1 for those of you who have
already had an appointment to a VAHC facility since that time. Stop
by my office for reimbursement.

Of course if you are eligible for mileage
reimbursement or overnight accommodations from Albuquerque or Grand
Junction VAMC's from other sources you would not be eligible for our
local assistance, since that would amount to double payment for the
same trip.

Frequent trips

If you are making frequent repeated trips to
Albuquerque we may have to limit how many times we can reimburse you
for those trips, since that could affect how many other veterans we
can help with this limited amount of funding.

Remember, you need proof of your VAHC
appointment and a motel receipt for reimbursement. We have
established a set amount of reimbursement, regardless of the actual
costs or mileage for the appointment trip.

Saluting NG troops

I think everyone stood a little taller, and
a little prouder last Wednesday as we saluted and cheered the
National Guard activated troops as they passed through Pagosa
Springs.

Many citizens and school children lined much
of the length of town to wave flags and hands to the troop transport
vehicle. We could see many smiling faces and hands waving back from
the windows of the bus.

Law escort

Archuleta County Sheriff's Department
escorted the troops from La Plata County to the Mineral County line.
Mineral County personnel picked up the escort through their county. I
am given to understand that Rio Grande and Alamosa Counties also
participated in providing escort. Escort may have been given all the
way to their destination of Colorado Springs. Pagosa Springs Police
assisted with escort through the town.

Show of support

Thanks to all of you who turned out for this
patriotic display to send off our local troops that will be risking
their lives "in harm's way" to protect and defend our country.

Share-A-Ride

Don't forget to call or stop by my office
with your VA health care appointments for the Share-A-Ride program.
Help a fellow veteran who may be going in the same direction to the
same VA facility. Give me a call if you can provide transportation or
need transportation. I will keep a calendar of who is going where to
coordinate this important program.

For information on these and other veterans'
benefits please call or stop by the Archuleta County Veterans Service
Office located on the lower floor of the county courthouse. The
office number is 264-8375, the fax number is 264-8376, and e-mail
isafautheree@archuletacounty.org. The office is open 8 a.m.-4 p.m.,
Monday through Thursday, Friday by appointment. Bring your DD Form
214 (discharge) for registration with the county, application for VA
programs, and for filing in the VSO office.

Library News

Library spaces are not always
where you need them

By Christine Anderson

PREVIEW Columnist

Martha Stewart I am not, but Marian the
Librarian I am.

I had bright orange-red stacks and ceiling
slats in the first library I renovated. This wasn't my idea, but the
architect's. While I never would have thought of using the color, I
have to tell you, I grew to love the cheery glow. Since then, every
library I've been in has looked pretty subdued.

My cabin is dressed in a riot of color too.
The old Russian Tea Room menu, with its brilliant oriental pattern in
greens and reds, is my idea of a decorating scheme.

Don't panic; the colors for your renovated
library were chosen long before I had any input.

I'm willing to yield to others in matters
that I do not consider significant to the function of a library. I
become considerably more difficult when I see library arrangements
which will impede the best use of library space for the public good
or hamper future flexibility.

An article I found on the Web titled "The
Seven Deadly Sins of Public Library Architecture" from a speech by
Schlipf and Moorman, included among the most grievous sins, interior
design errors of bad lighting, inflexibility, complex maintenance,
insufficient work and storage space, bad security and signature
architecture. Bad location is an exterior sin.

The public will most likely notice bad
security and bad lighting.

Happily, bad security was not a factor in
your old library, nor will it be in the new building or parking lot.
It is crucial for both the public and employees to feel secure. I
rejected a job offer from one public library, based solely on the
fact that the security of the buildings was not acceptable. If I
envision being frightened as I close the library at night, how can I
see less fear for my staff and public users?

Hopefully the lighting in the renovation
will be as good as we think it will be. If not, sins in this area can
be corrected by green matter: money.

Librarians will be driven nuts by complex
maintenance, and insufficient work and storage space. We will not
talk about this today, except to say that this library will need
outside storage space on a permanent basis. One can't expect
perfection from pre-existing space limits.

Directing your thoughts toward the issue of
flexibility, however, is the goal of my writing today.

The old library had to sustain the public
and staff through 15 years.

I ask, how many of you didn't make
alterations to your home, or even move, in that period of time? Did
you have space for computers in your home 15 years ago? Do you know
what changes you will need in the next 15 years?

These are the issues we face when arranging
the interior of a library. Therefore, we should never commit space to
an arrangement that cannot be changed. Wiring should be adequate for
uses we might not envision now. We didn't have copiers, faxes,
scanners or computers in past years. Who knows what the future
holds?

Areas should never be designated for one use
that can't be changed to meet another use. Yes, I know that the teen
area was there, but maybe we need more teen area and a small
conversation/coffee area. Who knows? I hold with the French who say
demography is destiny.

There is no ownership of space in a public
library. Spaces must be reallocated, based on changing needs of the
population. There is no ownership of collection location in a public
library. Collections must be moved based on use, traffic flow and
growth of subject areas.

A public library must belong to the public.
Its use is for library arranged, or related activities. Its
collections must be cataloged and accessible to the entire public.

Donors must be honored by permanent
recognition, but being the public-spirited, generous people and
organizations that they are, they will recognize that the statement
of recognition might need to be moved, always honoring the spirit of
their generosity, but in keeping with the use needs of a changing
public library.

These are things that I, Marian the
Librarian, believe about interior design.

Arts Line

Two New Mexico field trips will
set the autumn scene

By Kayla Douglass

PREVIEW Columnist

Bruce Andersen will lead two PSAC-sponsored
photography workshops and field trips to celebrate the splendor of
autumn in the Rockies.

The first is a late afternoon and evening
auto tour, 4 p.m. to dark, Sept. 24. The specific location will be
selected as fall color progresses; Plumtaw Road is the intended
destination. Participants will meet at the community center, regroup
into carpools and caravan through the mountains around Pagosa,
stopping frequently for photo ops and on-site instruction. A picnic
dinner is included. The cost is $45.

Bruce will again lead the popular "Chase the
Train" and Conejos River trip Sept. 29 and Oct. 1. The group will
meet for the annual event in a classroom setting 7 p.m, Thursday,
Sept. 29 at the Shy Rabbit Studio, 333 Bastille Drive. A slide
presentation will offer tips for fall color photos, plus lighting and
composition ideas for the field trip.

The group will reconvene Saturday, Oct. 1,
and caravan to Chama where they'll watch and photograph engineers
readying the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad for the trip over
Cumbres Pass. Once the train is underway, the group will set up ahead
of the train in scenic locations to photograph it as it makes its way
through the fall color landscape. Once over the pass, the group will
shift focus to the Conejos River valley and photograph their way to
the tiny hamlet of Platoro where they'll be treated to one of the
best and biggest hamburgers around. Participants should plan all day
for this outing. The cost is $125 and includes a coffee break in
Chama and the late lunch in Platoro.

Shutterbugs of all experience levels, and
with either film or digital cameras, are encouraged to attend. The
workshops are supported by the Pagosa Springs Arts Council, Pagosa
Photo Club and Shy Rabbit Studio. A 10-percent discount is offered to
Arts Council, photo club and Arts Network members. Contact Bruce at
731-4645 or baphoto@centurytel.net to register or obtain more
information. Space is limited for both outings to ensure quality
instruction.

Voter's choice

PSAC is happy to announce that Patricia
Black's painting, Indian Corn VI, was chosen the favorite by those
who cast ballots during the month of August at Wild Spirit Gallery
during our Juried Art Exhibit.

Indian Corn VI, a transparent watercolor, is
the sixth and final painting in a series. Each painting in the series
represents approximately 40 to 50 hours worth of work each, and is
painted in a photo-realism style.

Black has been a fine artist and graphic
designer for most of her adult life, designing graphics for the
gaming industry and gift/card industry. She moved to Pagosa Springs
in 2003 and is pursuing a full-time career in art as well as owner of
a fun gift shop and gallery here in town. As winner, Patricia
receives an award of $100. Total prizes for this exhibit totaled
$1,800.

This is the second year PSAC has sponsored
this exhibit, and we hope to make it an annual event. So, artists, be
thinking about what you'd like to enter in next summer's Juried Art
Exhibit.

Watercolor exhibit

Members of the watercolor club will be
exhibiting watercolor paintings through September at the art gallery
in Town Park.

Please join us to view and encourage local
painters. The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 28.

The watercolor club of Pagosa Springs meets
the third Wednesday of the month and all watercolorists are
encouraged to attend.

Annual calendar

This is the first year for an ongoing
calendar produced by local artists reflecting Pagosa Country.

The 14-page full color calendar features
images for the 12 months as well as a cover image. Artwork exhibited
includes photography, oil, fabric art, watercolor and mixed media.
The 2006 calendars are available through the Arts Council at a price
of $9.95 plus tax for nonmembers and $8.95 plus tax for PSAC members.
This is the first season of what will be an annual Pagosa Country
Scenic calendar. Stop by and pick up yours now and don't forget they
make great Christmas gifts.

Mion workshop

PSAC is pleased to announce a watercolor
workshop with well-known artist Pierre Mion.

Mion's illustrative works have been
exhibited worldwide and are included in the NASA Fine Arts and the
Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum's collections. Some
notable clients are: The National Geographic Society, Smithsonian
Magazine, Look, Life, Popular Science, Reader's Digest, Air &
Space Magazine. During his career, Mion has worked with Jacques
Cousteau, Gilbert Grosvenor, Carl Sagan, Wernher Von Braun, Isaac
Asimov, Arthur C. Clark, Robert Ballard and Michael Collins, to name
a few. During the Vietnam conflict, Mr. Mion worked simultaneously
for the U.S. Marine Corps and National Geographic doing combat art
and story illustrations. Mion was a member of the Apollo 16 recovery
team aboard the USS Ticonderoga in the South Pacific and covered many
rocket launches at Cape Kennedy.

In 1966 Norman Rockwell called on Mion to
assist him with a series of space paintings for Look Magazine. For
the next twelve years they collaborated on a number of assignments
for both Look and IBM until Rockwell's death in 1978.

The workshop will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Oct. 4-6 at the community center. Bring your own lunch.

Cost is $240 for PSAC members and $265 for
nonmembers.

Pierre wants his students to find out the
joy and excitement of watercolors. He intends to give them his
techniques in step-by-step fashion in order to achieve a finished
painting. This class is for all ability levels and there will be
one-on-one instruction. The theme is fall subjects and he will
provide photos to work from. Class size is limited, so make your
reservation now by calling PSAC at 264-5020. After reservations are
complete, Pierre will contact each student regarding a supply
list.

Slade workshop

Pagosa artist Betty Slade will teach a
workshop Oct. 13-14 designed to help participants create cards and
gifts for the holiday season.

Participants are encouraged to use water media, gouache or acrylic paints. The class will be held 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the arts and crafts room of the community center. Cost for the workshop is $70 for PSAC members and $80 for nonmembers. Call 264-5020 to sign up or contact Betty at bslade2@pagosa.net with any questions.

Davis returns

Due to Randall Davis' schedule there were no
drawing classes scheduled for August or September. He will resume his
one-Saturday-a-month class again in October. Stay tuned for time and
date.

Woodworking exhibit

Pagosa Springs is home to many woodworkers
who design and construct a wide range of products including
furniture, turned bowls, carvings, etc.

PSAC will again sponsor an exhibit in which
Pagosa's finest woodworkers can show their newest wares. The Fine
Woodworking Exhibit is set Sept. 29- Oct. 31.

We are requesting applications from area
woodworkers. Selection will emphasize a balance between art and
craftsmanship. For more information, contact us at 264-5020, or
e-mail PSAC@centurytel.net, contact David Smith at 264-6647, or
e-mail dsmith7@unl.edu.

PSAC events

All PSAC classes and workshops are held in
the arts and craft space in the community center, unless otherwise
noted.

All exhibits are shown at the PSAC Gallery
in Town Park, unless otherwise noted.

Artsline is a communication vehicle of the
Pagosa Springs Arts Council. For inclusion in Artsline, send
information to PSAC (psac@centurytel.net). We would love to hear from
you regarding suggestions for Artsline. Events in surrounding areas
will be included when deemed of interest to our readers.

Food for
Thought

The sauce saves the day

By Karl Isberg

PREVIEW Columnist

It was a dark and stormy night.

I thought I would never write these words.

But, here they are.

It was a dark and stormy night.

My wife is making me write this sentence.

Why?

It is a dark and stormy night. In terms of weather. In terms of
the soul.

We are driving from Monte Vista to Pagosa Springs. It is eight in
the evening. There is a truly ferocious event taking place above and
around us; wind is blowing at tropical storm speeds, the rain is
falling in sheets. Lightning flashes above us every three or four
seconds. It's tempest time.

Kathy mentions the cliché line because I note I have very
little to go on as far as a column is concerned. The well is dry and
I'm in a foul mood. I'm thinking about giving up the writing biz for
a night-shift job at a convenience store.

"Start your column with 'It was a dark and stormy night,'" she
says.

"Something better is sure to come along. Anything is better than
that. And, don't forget, having nothing to say has never stopped you
before."

Sure enough, she's right.

What comes along is one word.

"Saucy."

It bleeps into consciousness because I think of my youngest
daughter, Ivy.

I think of my youngest daughter because we have been in Monte
Vista to watch her coach the C-2 high school girls' volleyball team.

Ivy is back in Siberia with a View.

The runaway bride has returned home.

She's saucy.

Six weeks ago, Ivy was in Hollywood, preparing to get married,
readying for a move to Warsaw, Poland, to make movies for some
British film company.

Life was looking idyllic for our precious little peanut, then 

She cut and ran.

The runaway bride.

She decided the whole thing - the film biz, the phonies, the
nonsense, marriage, moving - was not what she wanted. She was a
small-town girl, a snowboard princess at heart. Despite eight years
in Lala Land, she was not happy with her lot.

She cut and ran. She said goodbye to everyone and everything and
came back to Siberia with a View - our little burg nestled in the
armpit of the southern San Juans, the place where she was raised.

She jettisoned Ms. Hollywood, she forsook all the fab folks she
knew, she abandoned the glitz and the supercharged lifestyle and she
came back - unfortunately several grand late, as far as mom and dad's
wedding expenses were concerned, but  she's still saucy.

Puts me mind of my favorite foods.

Sauces.

I use 'em on everything.

And, since my youngest daughter loves to eat, and to cook, I have
a variety of sauces to throw at her now that she is eating at home
now and then, and helping in the kitchen, now and then.

Almost all the sauces I like are based on meat stocks and the
extensions of stock - glace de viand, sauce espagnole, brown sauce,
demiglace. Or the similar poultry-based variations on the theme.

Let's face it - you need some stocks and bases in order to do good
work, saucewise. You need stocks, you need reduced stocks, you need
fortified stocks.

Making meat stocks is tedious, time consuming work. You aren't
going to do it more than once or twice if you're not a professional
and are in your right mind. But you should do it once or twice, just
to know what the real thing tastes like. After that, you will want to
shell out the cash to get the stocks and variants readymade. Believe
me.

Making stocks and their heftier relatives involves all sorts of
moves: roasting bones, preparing aromatics, simmering, reducing,
skimming, straining, blah, blah, blah. It is an art, yes, but it is a
mouth-breather's art when you realize you can buy the darned stuff.
Or, at least, you can buy enough of the raw materials that the final
saucy product is well within reach.

There are a number of pretty darned good stocks on sale at the
market: beef, vegetable (who wants this?) and chicken. Some are
organic and, as with a lot of other products, it's probably a good
idea to monitor the ingredients, including sodium, in commercial
stocks since, for sauces anyway, you are going to be reducing them,
i.e. concentrating them and all that they contain. It's kinda like
taking yellow cake uranium and ending up with weapons grade material.

There are a number of more than passable concentrates for sale -
the glace de viands and demiglaces etc. I intend to ask our local
supermarket to stock a few of these beauties, if not on the regular
shelves, at least on the special order shelf that almost no one ever
sees. If the local market won't comply, I will, as I have for a few
years now, make a trip to a market in Denver or Santa Fe and stock up
on small containers of pre-sauce bliss.

With one of these labor-savers on hand, I decide to make a saucy
treat for dinner the other night. The night after a dark and stormy
night.

I've written about a burger Ivy and I concocted that involves
enclosing sun-dried tomato paste and bleu cheese inside two patties
of seasoned beef.

This time, I work a twist on this recipe, one that combines two
sauces - one sauce inside the meat, the other outside, the two sauces
calculated to merge physically and in terms of flavor and texture -
to become more than the sum of their parts.

I fire up the grill to medium hot.

For three of us, I buy a pound and a half of ground beef - no
hormones, no antibiotics, etc. I shape the meat into six thin, wide
patties then sprinkle the sides of each with kosher salt and coarse,
cracked black pepper.

I pop the cork on a fairly cheap Cotes du Rhone. It's drinkable.
It's cookable. I slice up ten or so Cremini mushrooms; I finely mince
some white onion, a three-inch piece of celery stalk and three cloves
of garlic. When I'm done with the garlic, I use a bit of the salt as
an abrasive on my cutting board, and I mush the garlic with the flat
side of my knife. I finely mince some parsley.

First sauce: I saute half the minced onion and the celery in olive
oil over medium heat, softening them, getting them translucent. I
throw in the mushrooms, turn the heat up a teensy bit and cook until
the mushrooms start to caramelize and have given up their moisture. I
add some thyme and I take care not to burn the onion. I add
two-thirds of the garlic, a half cup or so of beef stock, a half cup
or so of the wine and a teaspoon of tomato paste. No salt, but a bit
of black pepper. I jack up the heat a bit more and reduce the liquid
by two thirds. At that point, I plop in a heaping teaspoon of
commercial roasted veal demiglace and stir. I turn down the heat a
bit and allow the mixture to wend its way to bubbly, almost syrupy
goodness. Just before serving I swirl in a knob of butter.

I am no priss, so I don't strain the sauce. I like the debris.

Sauce two: I remove a fine hunk o'bleu from the fridge and break
off a serious wad. I put it in a bowl and crumble it up, adding a
couple tablespoons of the minced onion and the rest of the mushed
garlic. I throw in some parsley.

Now, this alone would suffice inside the meat. But, no  I want
sauce, not just melted bleu cheese.

Easy trick. I add about a tablespoon of mayonnaise and a bit of
coarse mustard. I whip the mess together and I have proto sauce. It's
still stiff, but when it meets the heat 

I put a stack of the cheese mix in the center of each patty and
top each with another patty. I seal the edges by pinching them
together then I take the burgers in my hands and shape them further,
plumping them slightly, ensuring there will be no breach in the flesh
when it hits the grill.

Another bit of salt and pepper on each side and on to the grill
they go. I cook them about five minutes per side so they are medium
when they come off the fire.

On each plate goes a mound of super-eggy, al dente potato salad,
made the day before and left to temper in the ice box. Next to that,
some steamed green beans, drained and finished in the pan with melted
butter, black pepper and a splash of lemon juice.

Burger on plate, atop a slick of the meaty good sauce. The same
sauce is then poured, liberally, over the burger so a pool forms at
the meat's base.

Open the burger with a fork and a pyroclastic flow of creamy sauce
is released, flowing into its rich, dark companion on the plate.

Oh mercy.

A glass, or three, of the Cotes du Rhone, a spoon to eat the
sauces. A bit of crusty bread to mop the plate.

It was a dark and stormy night.

Ehhh  who cares.

Extension Viewpoints

Friday is deadline for seed mix
orders

By Bill Nobles

PREVIEW Columnist

The San Juan Conservation District is
offering landowners the opportunity to purchase seed mixes including:
native grass mixture, dry land pasture mix, and native wildflower mix
for different conservation uses. Orders will be taken through Friday.
Please contact 731-3615 or stop by 505A CR 600 (Piedra Road).

Master Gardener?

We are looking to hold a Master Gardner Program January - March in Pagosa Springs. We must have at least 20 confirmed participants for this program. Basic CMG training consists of 60-plus hours of classroom instruction with topics ranging from managing irrigation to landscaping with native plants.

Content is focused for the home gardener
(non-commercial) audience, however 30 percent of the students are
employed in the green industry and use the classes for career
training.

Cost per student will be either about $125
and 50 hours of community service or $400. If you are interested in
attending, contact the office at 264-5931.

Cattlemen's Day

Cattlemen's Day will take place at the Small
Farms and Ranch Conference located at the San Juan Basin Research
Center in Hesperus Sunday, Oct. 2. The program will begin 10 a.m. and
includes topics such as PAP testing for Brisket Disease, Bovine
Respiratory Disease and low stress cattle handling. There will be a
$10 fee for Baxtrum's Chuck Wagon Lunch. This program is sponsored by
Basin Co-op, IFA, La Plata County Cattlemen's Association, Archuleta
County Cattlemen's Association, Pfizer Animal Health, Agritek Feeds
and Small Farm and Ranch Conference. For more information please call
(970) 385-4574.

Calling real estate
pros

The Radon and the Professional program to be
held Monday, Oct. 24, is designed to assist real estate professionals
in handling radon issues to satisfy both buyers and sellers.
Attendees will receive four hours of continuing education credits
approved by the Colorado Division of Real Estate.

The program will 1:30-5:30 p.m. in the Pine
Room at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Program size is limited so,
to assure your spot, registration is due prior to Oct. 18. The cost
for the program is $25. For additional information you may pick up a
form at the Extension office or contact Wendy Rice at
247-4355.

Check out our Web page at
www.archuleta.colostate.edu for calendar events and information.

Pagosa Lakes News

Important committee meetings on
horizon

By Larry Lynch

PLPOA Property and Environment
Manager

The Stollsteimer Creek watershed steering
committee will be meeting for the second time Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 2
p.m. at the Pagosa Lakes Clubhouse in Vista.

The committee was formed a couple of months
ago as part of the Stollsteimer Creek Watershed study project
sponsored by the Upper San Juan Conservation District. The committee
is made up of various federal, state, and county officials,
representatives from the PLPOA and PAWSD, as well as private
landowners.

Primary committee responsibilities include
collecting information pertaining to the watershed, prioritizing
improvement projects and developing protection policies for the
watershed. These could include such things as working with the town
and county in the development of land use regulations designed to
protect key waterways and important riparian areas. Additionally, the
committee will work with contractors and developers in implementing
construction "best management practices" to control construction
related sediments and contaminants from entering water courses.

Creation of land use regulations that would
require commercial and multifamily developments to implement drainage
plans designed to treat or slow storm water discharges is an
important goal of the committee. Most communities similar to ours
have these regulations already in place.

Restoring degraded sections of creeks and
streams in the watershed is another goal of the committee. Working
with private landowners and federal and state officials in
determining the condition of the waterways and securing design work
and funding for these projects is something the committee will focus
on over the next several years as well. Lastly, protecting lakes and
reservoirs in the watershed is an important charge of the
committee.

Committee meetings are open to the public
and you are encouraged to attend.

One item to be addressed at the Sept. 22
meeting will be a review of a hydrologic model of the watershed. This
model, which was created by a local engineering firm, is a computer
model of the watershed that simulates rainfall and snowmelt events
taking into account soil types, topography and impervious surfaces
(buildings and parking lots). It is going to give the committee a
good idea of where to focus protection efforts and where future
improvements, such as detention facilities, created wetlands and
stream bank stabilization, could and should be located. This model
was funded in part by a watershed protection grant that was received
last year from the State of Colorado in the amount of $20,000. The
committee will also consider a mission statement detailing its
direction and scope in the future.

If you would like more information on the
steering committee or would like to become involved, call the San
Juan Conservation District office at 731-3615.

Pagosa Lakes fishing

The Lakes, Fisheries and Parks Committee
will meet next week to come up with a final recommendation on the
Hatcher Lake special lake use regulations proposal. Ideas that have
been considered are special slot limits and some catch-and-release
regulations designed to improve the recreational fishing in the lake
and protect the larger fish in the lake. The meeting will be Tuesday,
Sept. 20, at 5 p.m. at the Pagosa Lakes Administration Office in
Vista. The meeting is open to all property owners, If you have any
thoughts or concerns on this matter you are encouraged to
attend.

We plan to stock the lakes this fall; we
will stock brown trout and rainbow trout in Hatcher Lake, cutbow
trout in Lake Pagosa and some rainbow trout in Lake Forest. We will
stock the first or second week of October, once the lakes cool down a
bit.

August was kind of a tough month on the four
lakes out here in the Pagosa Lakes area; warmer than normal water
temperatures led to some algae problems in all four lakes, but things
are improving now and this fall should offer some great opportunities
for fishing. In fact, mid to late October and early November may be
the best fishing of the year.

Births

Collin Christopher
Bridges

Jack and Kendra Bridges are proud to
announce the birth of their son, Collin Christopher. He was born Aug.
23 in Durango, weighing 7 pounds, 4.6 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches
long. Collin was welcomed home by big sister Chloe Belle,
grandparents Matt and Lynne Bridges and Jerry and Debi Hilsabeck; as
well many loving family members. We are so blessed to have Collin as
part of our family.

The temperature is dropping and the evenings
and mornings are filled with the cool crisp air of the fall season.
The colors of the leaves are changing in the higher elevations and
hunting season is upon us.

All these indications ring in
Colorfest.

This year Pagosa Springs congratulates Reach
for the Peaks as they celebrate their 20th anniversary of bringing
ballooning to our area with this year's balloon rally theme set as
"20 Years of Hot Air!" Although you won't be able to sail the skies
like they did in "Around the World in 80 Days," you will be able to
obtain a "passport" and attend this year's wine festival celebration,
Passport to Wine. The weekend of Sept. 16-18 will be filled with
activities and fun. Here is how the schedule pans out.

Friday, Sept. 16

Weekend festivities kick off with a
community picnic held in Town Park under the protection of a large
tent should the weather choose not to cooperate with our plans for an
outdoor event.

Starting at 5 p.m., food and music will
abound in the park. Christine's Cuisine will satisfy everyone's tummy
with delicious barbecue brisket, savory potato salad, desserts and
lots of other items to enjoy. While you are eating, you will be
entertained by the lovely and talented Laverty sisters, Wildflower,
and the handsome, lively and talented guys of Bluegrass Cadillac.
Food will be served until 8 p.m. and the music will last until 9.
Non-alcoholic beverages are included in your ticket price and beer
and wine will be available for purchase throughout the night. The
beer will be provided by Ska Brewery in Durango and we thank them for
their participation in our Colorfest activities. Tickets for the
picnic can be purchased in advance at the Chamber at $12 for adults
and $6 for children 12 and younger. Even if you might be attending
the Pirates' high school football game, come by early, eat, then
mosey on over to the game.

Saturday, Sept. 17

The day starts off in town with the hot air
balloon mass ascension taking place near the community center. Over
60 balloons will fill the downtown sky with color. Come out and
support the organizations and balloonists that have given us
high-flying enjoyment for the past 20 years. Mass ascension starts
about 8 a.m.

At noon, two different events will kick off.
In Town Park, the Ladies in Wading will host fly fishing casting
contests for girls 13 and older. The casting contests will be for the
longest cast and the most accurate cast. Admission to the contest is
free and there will be lots of prizes for the winners. The contest
lasts until 2 p.m. Just a few blocks away, at the Bell Tower Park at
San Juan and Lewis streets, the Corvette Club of Colorado Springs
will once again have its car show with automobiles old and new, and
viewers will be able to vote for their favorite vehicle until 3 p.m.
Winners will be announced at 4 p.m. Buy tickets for some great
prizes. We thank the Corvette Club of Colorado Springs for joining us
again this year; the show is such a nice addition to our weekend
Colorfest festivities.

Then, put on your favorite pair of walking
shorts, gauchos, beret or safari hat and come back down to Town Park
where you will be issued your passport for admission to this year's
wine festival: Passport to Wine. Participants will be treated to
wines from seven countries: Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy,
Argentina, Chile, and western United States. Wines are provided by
Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado, one of the largest "adult
beverage" distributors in the state. We are also pleased to have the
following sponsors helping us out with this year's festival: Bank of
Colorado will sponsor Australia/New Zealand; Rio Grande Savings and
Loan will sponsor Argentina, Jody Cromwell and Sharon Crump of
Clarion Mortgage Capital will sponsor Italy; and K.K. Paddywhacks
will sponsor some of the fun passport items you will need for your
travels throughout the tent area. If wine is not to your taste,
Citizens Bank will sponsor the beer stop and Ska Brewery will provide
a tasty pinstripe red ale.

Another important feature of this year's
Passport to Wine festival is that not only will you be tasting a few
delicious cheeses, but there will be scrumptious hors d'oeuvres
served as well. Isabel's Restaurant will delight us with tasty treats
paired with the wines of Argentina/Chile; Farrago Market Café
will provide tasty morsels to complement the wines of Australia/New
Zealand; Amy Dunmyer and her new catering business, Wildflower, will
host the foods to go with the wines of the western United States;
Jody Cromwell and Sharon Crump will tickle your taste buds with
bruchettas to go with the Italian wines; and Pagosa Baking will tempt
us with cheeses and sweets to go with the wines from France.

While you will not be able (nor will you
want) to taste all of the wines that will be at the festival, you
should get a good sampling of the numerous vintages available. There
will be chardonnays, chianti, pinot grigios, pinot noirs, shiraz,
sauvignon blancs, blends, dessert wines and more. Since there are so
many wines, come to the event and actually "taste" some varied wines
and perhaps broaden your wine scope or find a new favorite. Many of
the wines will be available at our local Chamber member liquor
stores.

To obtain a passport, stop by the Chamber
and purchase an advance ticket for $30. If you wait until the last
minute and need to have your passport expedited upon admission to the
wine tasting, the ticket price will be $35. The wine tasting begins
at 6 p.m. and will be under the protection of the big tent that was
used for the community picnic the night before. While at the wine
tasting, you'll be able to listen to the great musical sounds of our
own wonderful John Graves. He knows the countries that the wines
represent, so he's prepared to play music from all these areas; he's
still a little stumped about New Zealand though! Due to continued
community support, we have outgrown the parking lot at the Chamber
and the wine tasting will be roomier, yet still under the protection
of a tent now in Town Park.

The wine tasting will last until 8:30 when,
at dark, right across the street from Town Park in the soccer field,
many balloonists will set their balloons up and glow. If you have not
seen this magical event, come downtown and feel the excitement as the
balloonists light up the area and show us silhouettes of their
balloons. Hermosa Street around the park from Hot Springs Boulevard
to the end of Town Park will be closed off to allow access for the
balloon pilots; however, there will be lots of surrounding parking
space from the American Legion parking lot to Main Street to the
public lots off Hot Springs Boulevard. Please respect the parking for
the guests at The Springs Resort and the Spa Motel.

Sunday, Sept. 18

Ballooning continues Sunday morning near the
Pagosa Lakes Recreation Center. Starting at approximately 8 a.m., the
skies will fill with color as locals and visitors enjoy the sight of
the hot air balloons. Once again, we wish Reach for the Peaks a happy
20th anniversary as they have worked hard to bring our community 20
years of ballooning enjoyment. We also thank all the sponsors and
lodging facilities for helping to make this event happen. Without the
community support, we would not be able to continue to grow this
annual event.

After the mass ascension, test your palate
one more time at the champagne tasting brunch at JJ's Upstream
Restaurant at 11 a.m. Enjoy a leisurely and delectable three-course
brunch while overlooking the river while brunch items and dessert are
paired with three sparkling wines. The cost is $30 and tickets for
this event may be purchased at the Chamber. Although the sparkling
wines will not be listed in your wine passport Saturday night, you
will receive a wine list and brunch menu Sunday in case you would
like to duplicate the efforts at a party in your own home.

Don't miss this ritual passage into fall.
Think good weather thoughts and come down to the Chamber where we
have all your tickets for the weekend's activities.

Don't forget

The Colorado Native Plant Society has its
annual meeting the weekend of Sept. 16-18. This year's meeting will
be hosted by the Southwest Chapter and it will be held at The Pagosa
Lodge. There will be feature presentations by Ken Heil and Arnold
Clifford, among others. Field trips will be offered Friday and Sunday
and lectures, presentations and society business sessions will take
place Saturday. For answers to questions, call Dick Moseley or
Charlie King at 731-4794.

Chamber members

Our first new member this week is
independent Mary Kay consultant Lisl Keuning. Lisl offers free
facials and makeup and skin care classes. If you are already a Mary
Kay cosmetic fan, remember that Lisl can order the products for you
and show you all the new items that come out in the Mary Kay line.
For a consultation, or to order products, give Lisl a call at
731-5402.

We have a "two-fer" new member this week: CM
Equipment Rental and Contract Management Design & Build. CM
Equipment Rental lets you do the job easier and right with equipment
for sale or rent from the names you know and trust: Bobcat, Hilti,
Hitachi and Ingersoll Rand. Winter or summer, they have the equipment
for your project. Contract Management Design & Build constructs
the building that suits your land and your needs. Giving the customer
the best possible building is what gives Contract Management D&B
pride in their workmanship. So, whether looking for a builder or
looking for equipment to help you with your own building or repairs,
call 264-rent (7368) or stop by their location just across from the
county fairgrounds at 297 U.S. 84.

Speaking of "two-fers" we now roll into our
many renewals this week with another: Jack and Patti Renner with The
Office Lounge and Renner's Mini Storage are first on our renewal
list. Just as a side note, Patti is also one of your directors on the
Chamber board. With all that she manages, Patti always finds time to
work for your community by volunteering her time at all the Chamber
events we host.

I'm proud to welcome back the group that
will be entertaining us at the Chamber annual dinner Jan. 21:
Durango's Bar-D Wranglers and their chuckwagon suppers.

Other renewals include The Tile Store, now
The Tile and Carpet Store; Pagosa Nursery Company; Pagosa Peak
Financial Group; the Made in Colorado Shoppe; Greg Schick and Sunset
Ranch Cabins; Navajo State Park; Southwest Custom Builders;
Landstar/Wolf Creek Logistics; The Pagosa Springs Area Association of
Realtors; United Country - Northern New Mexico Real Estate; Ole
Miner's Steakhouse; Abracadabra; and the Riverbend Resort in South
Fork.

We hope to see many people out and about
this weekend at all the Colorfest activities. Show off your
fly-fishing skills, admire some cars, ogle the balloons, enjoy your
friends and catch up with some people you may not have seen for a
while at the community picnic or the Passport to Wine festival. We
are pleased with the enhancements, the increased space for the wine
tasting and the participation of the community. Come on out and
celebrate 20 Years of Hot Air!

Biz Beat

Puttin' on the Rydz

Wendy Wallace, left, Pat Rydz and Cj
Herrington welcome customers to Puttin' on the Rydz. Wallace and Rydz
are managers of the store, Herrington a member of the store staff.
Puttin' on the Rydz specializes in high-quality, custom-designed,
one-of-a-kind jewelry, with emphasis on necklace and bracelet
sets.

"Puttin' on the Ritz" is a popular song
written in 1929 by Irving Berlin. The title derives from the American
slang expression meaning to dress fashionably, elegantly and
classically. The expression, at that time, was inspired by the swanky
Ritz Hotel.

The business took its name to recall that
time for clients of Puttin' on the Rydz, which also happens to be a
play on words on the name of jewelry designer Pat Rydz, of Designs by
Rydz, whose creations are featured in the store.

The creations, the design of the shop, wall
murals of the New York City skyline at sunset and the staff who work
in the store combine to bring back that point in time. The store's
1930s street lamps help transport customers to a time gone by, and
provide a sense of a great era and its great music.

Everyone is invited to come to Puttin' on
the Rydz and enjoy a journey to another existence, with fine quality
merchandise to match.

Work is continuing to complete the interior
design of the store and, when it is finished, everyone will be
invited to a public open house. Watch for ads in The SUN for date and
time.

Puttin' on the Rydz is at 420 Pagosa St.
Business hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call
264-4001.

People

Cards of
Thanks

Rainy rescue

Last Thursday night it was late and raining, and we were rescued
about 20 miles from Pagosa by Randy Talbot of Colorado State Patrol.
We had a flat tire.

Our hat's off to Randy. We are thankful for him and appreciate
what he did for us.

Bill and Anna Coleman

Show of support

I would like to thank everyone for their participation in the
American Flag Wave and Show of Support for the Durango National Guard
Unit being deployed to Iraq on September 75.

Even with the change in time, I was very pleased with the number
of people who showed up for this event. I would like to thank in
particular the following people and or groups that helped spread the
word about this event: Cindy and Ron Gustafson, Rotary Club, American
Legion, Andy Fautheree, Pagosa Springs fire, police and sheriff's
departments for their escort through town, Jim Dorian for his playing
of the bagpipes, Prayers and Squares Quilting Group and all my
friends who are helping to support and comfort me while my son is in
Iraq.

I hope to have an active Blue Star Mom's organization up and going
in Pagosa within the next couple of months. Thanks again and let's
never forget to support the troops and the families they leave
behind, no matter what we think about this war.

Belinda LaPierre

Sports Page

Pirate golfers snare first win
of the year, set playoff lineup

By Richard Walter

Staff Writer

Where, you might logically wonder, have they
been?

We know there is a Pagosa Springs High
School golf team and that it has been playing since
mid-August.

But because of their almost daily schedule,
we have been unable to follow their efforts.

With the team in its final match of the
regular season Tuesday, playing the Holly Dot course in Colorado City
where state regionals will be played in two weeks, the squad was also
celebrating its first win of the year.

The Pirates captured the Monte Vista
Invitational Sept. 7 in a field of 12 teams with a 244, their best
team score of the season.

Sophomore Joey Bergman, one of the more
consistent Pirates all season, paced the squad with a 78 as the
tournament's second-place medalist. Freshman Clark Reidberger fired a
79 and was third-place medalist.

Damian Rome checked in with an 87 and Cody
Bahn an 89 to round out the scoring.

These four have been chosen to represent
Pagosa at the regional tournament next week.

The earlier Pirate season wasn't nearly as
promising. They opened at Alamosa Aug. 19 with Bergman shooting 82,
Riedberger 84, Bahn 96 and Clayton King 103.

Tom Riedberger, who is assistant and junior
varsity coach, did not have team finishes for most
tournaments.

The Pirates did finish fourth in their own
invitational Aug. 23, fielding three teams.

Top scorers for the tournament were Bergman
with an 82; Ben DeVoti at 96; Bahn at 91 and Caleb Burggraaf with 97;
Saber Hutcherson shot a 98 and Riedberger a 99.

On Aug. 24, the Pirates went to the Cortez
tournament and entered two totally different teams in an effort to
get experience for youngsters.

Top-five scorers for Pagosa were Michael
Spitler with 95, Josh Mundy with 96, Clayton King at 101, and Damian
Rose and Josh Pringle both at 102.

At Durango Hillcrest the following day,
Bergman and Reidberger both fired 89s; Bahn and DeVoti each had 93
and Burggraaf came in at 98.

Next came a two-day tournament in Montrose
with play Aug. 29 on the Cobble Creek course and Aug. 30 at Black
Canyon.

Bergman paced the Pagosans both days with 78
and 93; Riedberger followed with 91 and 93; DeVoti with 98 and 94;
Mundy with 92 and 98; and Pringle at 105 and 101.

Then it was another two-day affair based in
Delta. The Pirates played Devil's Thumb in Delta the first day and
Deer Creek in Cedaredge the next.

Rome fired 94 and 100 on the two courses;
Burggraaf 98 on each layout; Spitler 103 and 90; Hutcherson 106 and
102; and Clayton King 117 and 110.

The Pirates went to Canon City Monday,
finishing ninth of 19 in the field with Damian Rome the low scorer
with an 81. Riedberger came in with an 84, Bahn an 84 and Riedberger
finished with a 95.

Coach Mark Faber said it was a course none
of them had ever seen before - very fuzzy and windy.

The future is now for this team. Regionals
are Sept. 22 at the course they played Wednesday; and state finals
for their class will be Oct. 1-2 at the Welshire Country Club at
Colorado and Hampden boulevards in Denver.

Pagosa Pirates blank Cortez
Panthers 21-0

By Randy Johnson

Special to The SUN

A huge thunderstorm raced through Cortez
Friday evening (the same one that dumped on Pagosa) threatening the
game and field conditions.

By game time, the weather was calm and it
turned out to be a great night for football.

The 3A Panthers (0-2) wish the game had been called as the Pirates (2-0) recorded a second shutout in as many weeks on their way to a convincing 21-0 win.

Coach Sean O'Donnell's rushing defense held
the Panthers to 89 yards on 25 carries and sacked Panther quarterback
Darren Wayman eight times for minus 48 yards. Most of the plus
yardage for Cortez came in the first quarter on Wayman carries of 16
and 29 yards as it appeared the Panthers could move the ball.

Pirate defensive coordinator Shawn Tucker,
along with line coach Mike Kraetsch, made adjustments that allowed
minus net yardage in the final three quarters. The Pirate passing
defense held Wayman to five completions on 14 attempts, for 43
yards.

The Pirate offense started slow but gained
momentum in the second quarter when O'Donnell used key plays to
isolate H-back Daniel Aupperle and utilize his speed. Aupperle caught
two balls for 77 yards including one for a 60-yard touchdown. He also
had one carry for a 75-yard touchdown on a pitch from quarterback
Adam Trujillo. Trujillo was seven of 14 passing for 122 yards, one
touchdown and one interception.

The Panther defense held Pirate rushers to
147 yards on 13 carries. This was a fair showing as 74 of those yards
came on Aupperle's run. Running back Josh Hoffman had five carries
for 26 yards and one touchdown plus one reception for 20
yards.

First quarter

The Panthers won the coin toss and elected
to receive. Their first drive started on their own 35 yard line and
they quickly picked up two first downs, one on a 16 yard run by
Wayman. A sack by Pirate linebacker Bubba Martinez thwarted the drive
and forced the Panthers to punt.

The Panthers' second possession started on
the Pirate 43 yard line. Another run by Wayman put the ball inside
the red zone on the Pirate 13. Again the Pirate defense stepped up
and forced the Panthers to turn the ball over on downs.

The Panthers' next possession was a three
and out as the Pirate defense took control.

There were two Pirate possessions in the
quarter that quickly went three and out. On a third, Trujillo hit
Jordan Shaffer for an 11 yard gain and a first down on the 35 yard
line to end the quarter.

Second quarter

The first possessions for both teams ended
in punts.

A key play came when Pirate defensive
lineman David Dunmyre sacked Wayman for a 15 yard loss. The loss,
combined with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty against the home
team, gave the Pirates the football on their own 38 yard line.

Trujillo dropped the first snap but was able
to recover and gain two yards to the 40 yard line. Then, at the 6:45
mark, Trujillo found Aupperle in the right flat and Aupperle raced 60
yards for the touchdown. Aupperle's kick made the score 7-0 for the
Pirates at intermission.

Third quarter

The third quarter was a defensive battle for
both teams. Cortez had two decent drives but both were stopped by
good defensive play as Wayman kept getting sacked by Pirate defenders
Casey Hart, Jake Cammack, Dunmyre, Aupperle, Zane Kraetsch and
Shaffer.

A five play drive by the Pirates ended in a
fumble recovery for the Panthers. On the drive Trujillo hit Schaffer
on a big 20-plus yard gain but it was called back on a penalty.

Then, with 20 seconds left in the period,
the Pirates hit paydirt again. Trujillo pitched left to an in-motion
Aupperle who scampered 75 yards for the score. Aupperle's kick put
the visitors up 14-0 at the end of the period.

Fourth quarter

The Pirates finally put together an
offensive drive with 6:40 remaining in the final period. The drive
started on the Panther 46 yard line after a poor punt. A Trujillo
pass to Paul Przybylski was called back on a holding penalty.
Trujillo then hit Hoffman for a 20 yard gain. A Trujillo run and a
completion to Kerry Joe Kilsabeck for seven yards gave the Pirates a
first and goal at the 7 yard line. Hoffman got the call and dragged
Panther defenders into the endzone for the touch. Aupperle's kick
made it 21-0 to end the scoring.

O'Donnell pointed out the need for work on
offense.

"This was a good win'," he said, "but you
would like to see more sustained drives that spread balls around and
use more game clock. The two big scores by Daniel were great but I
would like to see more consistency, and we will work on that this
week in practice."

The Pirates also need work on the
center/quarterback exchange and penalties. Both hurt momentum on
several drives.

The Pirates open a two game home stand
tomorrow beginning with the 4A Montrose Indians. The Indians (2-0)
are coming off a 27-12 win over a tough 3A Florence team. Last year
the Pirates defeated the Indians 20-10 in Montrose but O'Donnell said
they are a much better team this year, as indicated by two big
opening wins. Kickoff, in Golden Peaks Stadium, is set for 7 p.m.
This should be a great game to watch and a big test for the
undefeated Pirates.

When all is said and done, the only win-loss
record worthy of note in a Pirate volleyball season is the record in
the Intermountain League.

A gaudy season record is fine, but it is key
to finish first in the regular season IML standings and secure the
pass-through to regionals that comes with the title.

The Pirates got a good start in the race
Friday, with a 3-0 win (25-17, 25-16 and 25-19) in Monte Vista, in
the first IML match of the year.

Monte Vista coach Michelle Schaefer has
fashioned a scrappy team this season, but Monte's lack of height and
experience (only three seniors) puts the squad at a disadvantage
against a more seasoned and taller team like Pagosa. Monte put up a
fight in the home gym and, at times, with way too many errors, the
Pirates had to scramble to secure the victories.

Ace serves by Liza Kelley led the way in the
early going in game one. Middle hitter Danielle Spencer nailed a kill
and Pagosa's other middle, Caitlin Forrest, crushed a short set and
the Pirates had a comfortable 7-3 lead.

Junior Iris Frye went to the serve line and
stayed there, with two aces, for eight consecutive Pagosa points.
Both teams traded points with mistakes, Spencer hit the 1 from the
middle, Monte hit the ball out and committed a serve error and Pagosa
led 20-9.

That should have been it, but the Pirates
had four consecutive errors to allow Monte to close the gap to 20-14.

The momentum turned when Frye stuffed a
Monte hitter for a score. Forrest nailed two kills and a Monte
setting error gave the Pirates a 23-14 lead. Monte got three other
points courtesy Pirate errors. Monte hit the serve out, then hit an
attempted kill out and the first match was over.

The teams tied at 3-3 in the second match
before Kari Beth Faber, in action with an injured right hand, got the
first of what would be five kills in the match, hitting the ball off
the block. Faber duplicated the feat, Kelley killed for a point with
her left hand, Monte made three hitting errors and the Pirates had a
9-6 lead.

The home team kept pace, however, as the
Pirates surrendered charity points with errors. Forrest hit the 1 for
a score then aced a serve, but Pagosa gave away points with a net
violation and a passing error. Kelley killed inside the block, but a
Monte tip fell to an empty spot on the floor. Pagosa was in front
12-10. Monte tied the score as, first, a Pagosa hit went out and a
Pirate was then called for a lift.

The circus of errors continued as Monte gave
up three straight points on hitting miscues. Pagosa followed suit
with two. A Monte serve went out and a Monte hit was touched as it
went out of bounds.

The game was tight, with the Pirates in
front 16-15 but Emily Buikema started an eight point run with a tip.
Again Frye went to the serve and this time stayed there for seven
points. Forrest put an errant Monte pass to the floor, a Monte hit
went out. Faber killed from outside and Monte committed three hitting
errors. Frye ended the run with an ace and the Pirates were on the
brink of the win, 24-15. Monte was given a point when a serve went
out, but Faber closed the door with a cross-court kill.

Pagosa took a 10-4 lead in the third game
getting earned points on a kill from Buikema, a kill off the short
set by Forrest, a kill of a Monte overpass by Faber, a stuff by
Forrest and Kim Canty, and an ace by Faber.

Then, the same story: Monte Vista scoring
points - most due to Pagosa errors - to stay in contention.

A serve error and a passing error gave the
home team points; Kelley killed for a score.

A Monte hit went unblocked and the home team
got another point on a receive error. Spencer hit the 1.

One Monte attack was clean and resulted in a
point, and the team then got two points on Pirate passing errors.
Pagosa was up 14-11.

With a 15-13 lead, Buikema came up strong on
the right side with a kill and Monte was called for a double hit.

A Monte kill went down but the next hit went
out. Canty crushed a Monte overpass and the Pirates led 19-14.

With her team ahead 20-16, Spencer nailed
the 1 again. Kelley killed from the left side and, following a
charity point given up by the Pirates on a net violation, Kelley
killed again to give Pagosa the 23-17 advantage.

A Pagosa serve went awry and a Monte serve
was mishandled. Buikema stopped the bleeding with a kill from the
right side, a Monte hit went out and the game and match were
over.

Pagosa had a 1-0 IML record.

"It was exciting being in a hostile
environment, playing a traditional rival with a new coach," said
Pirate Coach Andy Rice of his first IML contest. "There were a lot of
unknowns.

"We may not have played our best," he said
"but we knew how important it was to get the win on the road, and we
got the job done.

"Liza (played well) and she is the glue on
this team at this point. And Faber played well in the match,
considering the injury to her hand."

The Pirates play the second IML match of the
season tonight, in the PSHS gym, against Ignacio. The match against
the Bobcats is set for 7 p.m. Saturday, IML rival Centauri comes to
town for a 7 p.m. contest.

Summary

Kills: Forrest and Kelley 6 each, Faber
5.

Ace serves: Kelley 4, Frye 2.

Assists: Canty 20.

Digs: Canty and Kelley 5 each.

Solo blocks: Forrest and Spencer 2 each.

Pirates drop close match to 5A
Palmer

By Karl Isberg

Staff Writer

The Palmer Terrors were just scary enough to
manage a 3-0 win Saturday over the Pirate volleyball team in a match
played in the Mamie Lynch Gymnasium.

Palmer, a 5A team from Colorado Springs,
made its annual road trip to the southwest corner of the state to
play the area's three premiere programs - Durango, Cortez and Pagosa
Springs.

Saturday, each of the three games in Pagosa
were close and each basically decided by two things - the fact the
Pirates could not stop Terror outside hitter Ariane Brown, and too
many critical mistakes on Pagosa's side of the net.

Each game was anyone's to win as the final
points were decided and, in each case, Pirate errors handed the
victory to the opponents.

In game 1, the Pirates had scrambled back to
take a 26-25 advantage and needed only one point to win. A missed
block, a net violation and a ball hit out gave the 28-26 victory to
Palmer.

Game 2 saw the teams knotted throughout the
contest, with the Pirates managing a 23-22 lead only to see the game
end as the Terrors scored four points to Pagosa's one - three of the
four points handed over on errors.

With a 22-21 advantage in the final game,
the Pirates were unable to push through for the win. Palmer, instead,
scored four consecutive points to secure the victory - three of the
points coming on Pirate miscues.

All three games of the match kept spectators
on the edges of their seats, with the teams evenly matched and
producing some impressive offense.

The Pirates and Terrors tied 10 times in the
first game of the match, trading the advantage through the midpoint
of the action. Palmer went out front 20-14, however, when Brown hit
several times off and over the Pirate block.

Then it was Liza Kelley's turn. The Pirate
senior outside had her best match of the year and in the first game
served for three points to close the gap to 20-17. Emily Buikema
contributed points by killing off the pass and nailing a score from
the right side. Kari Beth Faber killed from outside and Caitlin
Forrest crushed a 1 in the middle. The Pirates trailed 23-22.

Palmer went ahead 24-22 and was poised for
the victory but a lift surrendered a point. Kelley put an off-speed
shot to the floor and Danielle Spencer stuffed a Terror hitter for a
point. Pagosa had the 25-24 lead and one point would do the trick.
Instead, a Pirate passing error put the ball just above the tape and
a Terror scored inside the 10-foot line.

Kelley put a huge kill down the line to tie
the score at 16, but Brown hit inside the block and the two Pirate
mistakes ended the game.

In the second game, the teams tied 18 times.
The lead went back and forth, each side managing kills, Pagosa
getting scores from Kelley Kim Canty, Buikema (twice) and Forrest.
With the score at 10-10, Spencer blocked a tip for a point, but a
Pirate hitting error gave Palmer another tie. And so it went, until
Palmer got some breathing room, using a Pirate serve error, a
serve-receive error and a hitting error to lead, temporarily,
21-18.

Palmer was not without its problems. The
Terrors botched a pass and committed several hitting errors.

Kelley scored to give the Pirates the lead,
23-22.

It would not last. Brown scored and a Pirate
hit went out. Kelley stepped up again and tied the score 24-24. Then
... Pagosa called for four hits, a Pagosa hitting error. Game
over.

The Pirates came out for the third game with
some fire and went out to a 6-3 lead. On the way, Forrest scored with
a kill, hit a 1, killed off a short set to the right side. Forrest
hit an ace and Buikema killed from the right side.

Palmer scored on two kills and Spencer
replied with a 1. Palmer continued to creep closer, but Faber put an
off-speed shot cross-court.

Palmer came back to tie at 8-8; Pagosa used
a kill by Kelley, a tip by Kelley and a soft 1 from Forrest to go in
front 11-8. Palmer tied at 11. Kelley killed, Buikema had a great up,
leading to a point by Forrest. Faber scored from outside, but the
teams stayed neck and neck. Forrest stuffed a Terror hitter to give
the Pirates a 20-17 advantage but Brown hit through the Pirate block
and Pagosa gave up the 20-20 tie with setting and hitting
errors.

Palmer returned the favor with a hitting
error and Faber killed off the block. Pagosa 22, Palmer 21.

Then ...

A Pirate serve went out. Palmer got a point
from Brown. A Pirate pass took the setter to the 10-foot line and the
set went up, then came down to the floor untouched. A Pirate hit went
out of bounds and game and match were over.

Coach Andy Rice realizes his players are
still in the adjustment mode as the season begins and saw some
positive things in the Palmer match.

"We had good energy," he said. "This was a
big match and there's a little something extra you need to win close
games in this kind of situation - a killer instinct. We don't have it
yet, but I believe it's a skill you can learn. And we will learn
it."

Tonight, the Pirates return to Intermountain
League action in the home gym as Ignacio comes to town for the first
of two regular season matches against Pagosa. The varsity match is
set for 7 p.m.

Saturday, Pagosa and Centauri play the first
of two Intermountain League matches, this one in the PSHS gym, at 7
p.m.

Summary

Kills: Forrest 10, Kelley 9, Buikema
7.

Aces:

Assists: Canty 36.

Solo blocks: Kelley 3, Spencer 2.

Digs: Kelley, Canty 7 each.

Pirates skin Bobcats in
Bloomfield

By Karl Isberg

Staff Writer

The Pirate volleyball team evened the season
record at 2-2 Monday with a 3-0 win over Bloomfield N.M., in
Bloomfield.

The Pirates beat the Bobcats 25-20, 25-20,
25-19. The Pirates dominated play in the contest, throwing some new
wrinkles into their game in the process.

"We swept them," said Coach Andy Rice, "and
I changed the lineup in every game. We're still searching."

Part of that search involved trying middle
hitter Caitlin Forrest on the right side. Another part of the
experiment involved use of the libero in the first game and a
traditional lineup in the second.

One aspect of the game that needed no
tweaking was the play of outside hitter Liza Kelley. The senior had
16 kills in what was a short match.

Another factor that showed improvement
without adjustment of players was the hitting percentage of the
Pirate middles - Forrest and Danielle Spencer. "Their percentage is
going up," said Rice. "They're both hitting near three-hundred
(.300). Iris Frye, (defensive specialist and outside hitter), also
played very well for us against Bloomfield."

Bloomfield mounted only one serious threat
in the match, going ahead 17-15 in the third game, with Forrest
working the right side instead of the middle. The threat was
short-lived as the Pirates scored the preponderance of points to take
the 25-19 victory.

"We're still working to find the right
combinations and rhythm," said the coach, "and we're getting better.
I love going into enemy territory. They had the music cranked up and
everyone was excited, and we beat them.

"We still need to learn that, if you let
teams hang around, bad things will happen. We need to work on
finishing teams off. On the plus side, we're starting to see where
basic offenses are coming from. If we can get our hands over the net
a little more, our blocking will continue to improve."

The team returns to the home gym tonight to
play Ignacio in the second Intermountain League match of the season.
Ignacio coach Melanie Taylor invariably brings a scrappy team to the
court and the Pirates would like nothing better than to boost their
IML record to 2-0. An entertaining battle is guaranteed. The varsity
match is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Another IML match, this one against Centauri
- which seems at this early juncture to be a main contender for the
league title - is set for Saturday in the PSHS gym. That match, too,
is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start. "Centauri is shaping up as an
important match," said the coach.

Summary

Kills: Kelley 16, Forrest 7, Spencer
6.

Aces: Forrest and Kelley 2 each.

Assists: Canty 39.

Solo blocks: Forrest 4, Buikema 3.

Digs: Kelley 7, Canty, Forrest and Howell 4
each.

Pirates show some magic light,
stop soccer skid 3-2 at Ridgway

By Richard Walter

Staff Writer

"Did you see that?" asked Lindsey
Kurt-Mason.

The question came with a little over 10
minutes left in his Pagosa varsity soccer contest Saturday in
Ridgway.

"I saw a collective light go on," he said.
"Sort of like all the players got the same message at the same time -
saying to themselves, 'Oh, that's how it's done.'"

It came as the 0-4 Pirates were fighting to
stay alive in the Southwest Mountain League, a feat accomplished in
overtime.

There was no specific incident to define
Kurt-Mason's light other than a suddenly activated team which, for
the first time this year, seemed to know not only what to do, but how
to do it.

It was a consistent pressure game from the
outset, with Pagosa's Mike Schmidt getting his first start in goal
and being called on for a save in the first 40 seconds.

Then, for 10 minutes, it was back and forth
midfield, old time head-to-head knock 'em down soccer, neither side
giving an inch - or even a shot attempt.

Pagosa's Max Smith stopped that string with
a breakaway sidekick that went wide left. Then it was Schmidt making
his second stop.

Pagosa had a glorious scoring opportunity on
a three-man break with Kevin Blue intercepting, leading to Caleb
Ormonde and his lead on target to Thomas Martinez who just overshot
the ball trying to draw it back to the right. Moments later he was
wide left with a shot of a steal at the top of the box.

And then Pagosa looked up too late just once
and Ridgway sophomore Danny Meza had picked off a lazy wing pass and
was crashing in on Schmidt. Schmidt overcommitted, coming too far out
of box, and the ball bounced into a wide-open net for a 1-0 Ridgway
lead at 23:36.

Then it was back to the cut-and-grind game,
neither team able to create a break.

Until, that is, 37:25 when Max Smith took
care of that detail and tied the score at 1-1 off a cross up the
middle from Paul Muirhead.

Ormonde, the leading scorer on the season,
being hounded from all sides with a swarming Demon defense, cut that
opposition down (or up,) to size with just 12 seconds left in the
half.

It was, later, seen as a key to better
things to come.

The Pagosa Kevins - Muirhead and Blue - each
had a hand (or foot) in the play, Blue digging for a loose ball,
crossing to Muirhead in the middle, and he finding Ormonde all alone
in the left front box for the score.

For the second half, regular starting keeper
Felix Gutierrez was back in nets and 40 seconds later made a tricky
stop on a bouncer that had eluded both offensive and defensive
players in front of the net.

Ormonde took a long lead from Javier
Hurriaga on ensuing possession and was wide open from 20 yards right
as his shot sailed over net.

Hurriaga was wide left and Pagosa made
another mistake.

Too many men were inside the attack zone,
leaving only one defender and Gutierrez back. Ridgway senior Dylan
Lacy made short order of the ready-made shot and the game again was
tied, at 2.

Perhaps the key to the Pagosa awakening came
on a non-scoring play. Muirhead and Ormonde had worked a give-and-go
out of the middle slot. Muirhead's cross-lane lead gave Ormonde a
shot blocked. But freshman Zel Johnson, making his varsity debut,
kept the ball in attack mode before Ormonde's shot was up and over
the bar.

It was consistent teamwork that showed what
can be accomplished when a player is in the right place.

As time frittered away, Ormonde was stopped
three more times, and Keith Pitcher once, as Pagosa pressured the
defense. As the clock ran down, Hurriaga was stopped on a quick
popper off the right corner of the box; Muirhead was wide right and
over the top twice.

Then the whistle blew and the scene was set
for heroics.

Keep in mind here those involved at the end
of the first half - Hurriaga and Ormonde.

It took that pair just 10 seconds to work
magic not seen before this season. Hurriaga took the center start
away from a Ridgway attacker and he and Ormonde were into the Demon
zone.

This time there was some new magic.
Hurriaga, trailing his big teammate, sent a skimmer right past
Ormonde, a consistent right-foot shooter. One stride later, Ormonde
broke to the middle with the ball, faked right as if to the
right-foot kick, then dribbled it to his left foot and put a
slow-rolling, chopping ball right past the Demon keeper.

The winless string was broken with the 3-2
Pagosa victory.

And the light had been turned on.

This week the Pirates face Center, in
Center, at 3 p.m. Thursday. This game has been moved up from the
scheduled 4 p.m. start to get players back over Wolf Creek Pass
before the 7 p.m. closing.

The team will close out the week with an 11
a.m. game Saturday in Telluride. Note the school has a new field
which is actually closer to Placerville, lying on the south side of
the San Miguel River. It is approximately 10 miles south of where
Colo. 145, coming down from Rico, crosses the river.

Prior to the season, Kurt-Mason had picked
the Vikings, because of experience and depth, as the team to beat in
the Southwest Mountain League.

While it wasn't so evident on the field
where, statistically, Pagosa outplayed the visitors in several
categories, the game ended with Pagosa 3-1 losers while still
searching for the first win of the season.

The first shot on goal came just 40 seconds
in when Pagosa junior striker Caleb Ormonde beat a midfield double
team, dropped a cross to senior Derek Monks and took the return pass
to the net but shot wide right.

It was a scoreless event, mostly an exchange
of midfield moves, each team working to see what in their repertoire
might work - until 10:20.

An illegal Pirate tackle gave Crested
Butte's junior striker Zach Vosberg a free kick from the front of the
box and he beat Pirate goalie Felix Gutierrez low to his right for
the game's first marker.

Pagosa's second shot on goal came off a
breakaway by Thomas Martinez on a midfield steal and looping lead
from Javier Hurriaga. Martinez shanked the shot wide right.

The period, from the 28th through 38th
minutes, was some of the most spirited soccer of the season - opening
with back-to-back stops on a 20-yarder and the rebound by Gutierrez
and the best play to that point for Crested Butte, a defensive
sparkler.

Coming off an outlet kick to Muirhead,
Pagosa's Max Smith worked off a screen by Ormonde, took a cross to
his inside foot and broke containment. Only he and CB's Lamb were
focused now.

Smith broke left, faked right and stayed
left. Lamb came out to his right, Smith went to his right and the
shot was ripped with Lamb winning the battle.

And, as suddenly as that threat had been
thwarted, the man who'd been feeding many of the passes for the
Pirates became even more offensive minded.

Paul Muirhead, off a centering lead from
Kevin Smith, launched a 30-yard looper. It was the shot required for
the moment - if the wind held, because it was quartering right to
left - but the ball was staying high. It sailed just over Lamb's
reach and Pagosa had a 1-1 tie.

It held into the second half, but was broken
at 45:27 when Damaris Alexie drilled a 30-footer from the left wing
to open the lead again, now at 2-1.

Pagosa tried to come right back with right
winger Kevin Blue stopped by Lamb and Ormonde's middle drive hauled
down.

Muirhead once again had the Pirates on the
prowl after a looping cross from Martinez. He deked one defender to
the ground, beat another around the right wing, but found his
breakaway bid stopped on a dual defensive tackle by Lamb's friends in
front of the net.

Then came one blow for Pagosa. Guitierrez
came down limping with a pulled groin after an outlet kick. Sophomore
transfer Mike Schmidt came on to fill the void.

CB's Grant Spear got the first chance to
test the new keeper and it succeeded, giving the Vikings a 3-1 lead
at 74:20.

The Pirates did not roll up their gangplank
and slink back to the ship.

First Kevin Smith and then Keith Pitcher
were stopped on point-blank efforts as the Pirate defenders swarmed
the CB zone.

At 76:62 Muirhead again had a chance to cut
the margin, showing quick inside moves off a reverse step, but his
bid for goal hit the crossbar and the Pirate afternoon was over,
their season record at 0-4.

Kurt-Mason lamented the fact the CB goals
were all unimpeded efforts. "When we played them tough, they couldn't
get those shots away. When we went to sleep we got beat defensively.
You can't make silly mistakes against a team like this."

Still, there were the unanswered maybes.

What if Muirhead's consistent breaks of the
defensive set had found an open wing downfield where, said
Kurt-Mason, they should have been?

What if Ormonde hadn't faced a continual
double-team at the midline, and where were his teammates to help him
out of those jams?

The Pirates were to find little respite.
They were scheduled to leave 6 a.m. the following morning to make the
trip to Ridgway for an 11 a.m. game.

A long trip to run the mistakes through
their minds again, to ponder how they would have reacted given same
conditions again - and still looking for that first season win.

Lady thinclads capture Lake
County title

By John Middendorf

Staff Writer

The Pirate varsity girls' team won their
first cross country meet of the season Saturday, when they "found out
how good they had the potential to be," said Scott Anderson, team
coach.

The same applies to the varsity boys' team,
which also did exceptionally well, coming in second overall, five
points behind the leaders at the Lake County Invitational in
Leadville.

It was a large, very competitive meet, with
100 to 170 competitors in each race, on a "great course" on a
"gorgeous day to run," said Anderson. Across the board, everyone
improved their times from the week before. On a new course with a
significant hill, running at 10,000 feet, the finish times
represented a strong performance by all.

Among the varsity girls, Pagosa's top
runner, Emilie Schur, came in fourth with a time of 22:45 followed by
Laurel Reinhardt and Jaclyn Harms who came in sixth and ninth
respectively. Harms' improvement of her time by almost a minute and a
half from the previous week's race, was "huge" said Anderson. Heather
Dahm, who is overcoming a foot injury, came in fourth with over a
minute off her time from last week.

A.J. Abeyta led the varsity boy's team,
coming in 10th overall with a time of 20:19. Second for the Pirates
(17th overall) was Orion Sandoval, who had a "monster race," said
Anderson, taking over a minute off his time from the race at Bayfield
the week before. Travis Furman tied with Sandoval, followed by Aaron
Miller coming in 22nd overall.

The race was "well worth the four hour
drive," said Anderson, who left with his team 5 a.m. Saturday
morning. Last time they made the long drive the meet was snowed in
and cancelled, he said.

Pagosa Springs
Recreation

The mental side of athletic
injuries

By Myles Gabel

SUN Columnist

"A guide to psychologically rebounding from
injury," Part 2.

Now that you have been diagnosed and know
what's ahead from a physical point of view, here are some suggestions
to mentally handle this first major athletic injury and focus on ways
to help yourself survive, flourish and become an even stronger
athlete than you were before your injury.

Athletes must first deal with a couple of
problems they have never dealt with before. Many athletes are used to
being independent and relying upon their bodies to respond as trained
and directed. With the injury, you have to face the cold hard fact
that your body has somehow failed you. This can be a tough pill to
swallow. Furthermore, injuries frequently make you dependent upon
others, i.e. parents, doctors, trainers, physical therapists, etc.
Most athletes have a strong independent streak and hate having to
depend on anyone other than themselves.

Second, you lose a major source of your
self-esteem. If you get your goodies from being faster than everyone
else, setting the ball better, hitting the ball harder, throwing
touchdowns or shutting an opposing player down, then you'll get
precious few good feelings from standing on the sidelines helplessly
watching the action. Suddenly, you're plagued with self-doubts and
have to struggle with questions of your own self-worth. If you're not
pushing others in practice, working hard on your game, and helping
your team in competitions, then what real value do you have on the
team? For many athletes this is probably the hardest part of their
injury. It's a huge blow to your ego.

So what does all this loss mean to you as an
athlete or to your coach? If you want to speed up the rehab process
as much as possible, then you need to expect certain feelings and
behaviors to emerge as a result of your injury. You need to
understand that these feelings and behaviors are absolutely normal
and a natural part of successfully coping.

Athlete strategies

Be sad - Allow yourself to mourn and feel
whatever loss you are experiencing. Being "macho," "strong" or
"brave" by burying or hiding your feelings in this situation is not
only a waste of energy, but will interfere with you effectively
coping and recovering. Feeling is an important part of the healing
process.

Deal with what it is - Injured athletes have
a tendency to focus on the "could'a beens," "should'a beens" and the
"way it was." If only they hadn't gotten hurt. Yes, it sucks that you
got injured and it has thrown a monkey wrench into all your plans and
dreams. Unfortunately, this is your reality right now and you have to
allow yourself to deal with where you are, right now.

Set new, more realistic goals for yourself -
As you begin the recovery process, you may very well have to learn to
measure your successes very differently than ever before, perhaps in
millimeters now, instead of meters the way it was before your injury.
It may mean that you also have to start all over again back at
"square one" to build up arm or leg strength and endurance. Keep
focused on your new goals and leave the old ones in the past for now,
where they belong.

Maintain a positive attitude no matter what
- as difficult as this will be, try to stay as positive as possible.
Understand that "If it is to be, it is up to me." In other words,
your attitude and outlook is absolutely everything. When positive,
your attitude can speed up the healing process.

Take an active part in your healing - be
conscientious about your physical therapy. Follow the doctor's advice
closely. Don't cut corners. Work as hard with your rehab as you did
in your training.

Continue to "practice" and "work out"- if
your injury allows you to continue any part of your training, do so.
If not, "practice" mentally. Use mental rehearsal on a daily basis (5
-10 minutes at a time) to see, hear and feel yourself performing in
your sport, executing flawlessly with perfect timing. Take this time
to also work on your weaknesses. If you have a leg injury, take the
time to work on your upper body strength. Make sure you make as many
of the regular practices as your physical therapy will allow, and be
there to support your team.

Seek out the support of your teammates -
participate in team functions. Fight the urge to isolate yourself.
You may feel worthless and suddenly different, but chances are good
that you're probably the only one on the team who shares that
opinion. Don't pull away from your team. Make a serious effort to
reach out rather than pull in.

If necessary, seek out a counselor - if you
are really depressed for an extended period of time, have lost
interest in things that use to excite you, have noticed that your
sleep and eating patterns have changed, seek professional help. Don't
fool around here. If you're having these kinds of symptoms this means
that you have really lost perspective and you are in need of some
qualified, outside support. Seeking out the help of a professional
therapist or counselor is not a sign of weakness. On the contrary,
it's a sign of strength.

Be patient - if your injury is temporary,
allow yourself enough time to heal properly. If you're over anxious
to get back to the court, field, course or pool, and rush the healing
process, then you may set yourself up for another, more serious
injury, which may cost you even more time. If you don't wait to heal
properly, you may end up developing a chronic injury that could keep
you out for extra weeks and even months. Remember, sometimes the
fastest way of coming back is the slowest. Go slower, arrive
sooner!

Reference: Competitive Advantage -
nationally known experts in the field of applied sports psychology

Next Week, Part 3. Coaching/parenting
strategies for helping the injured athlete cope.

Adult volleyball

We have had a great turnout for our first
open volleyball night. Anyone still interested in playing coed adult
indoor volleyball, should come to the community center gymnasium 7
p.m. Wednesdays. We will continue open play for all skill levels and
will discuss the formation of a volleyball league.

Youth basketball

Youth basketball is right around the corner.

The Pagosa Springs Recreation Department
will be sending out registration forms through the schools starting
in October. Youth basketball will begin in late-October and continue
through early December for 5/6 and 7/8 age groups; and early January
for 9/10, 11/12 groups.

We need coaches and sponsors for this
exciting league, so begin the thought process on helping this great
league.

Soccer referees

If you have a background in soccer as a
player or coach, we still need you. The Pagosa Springs Recreation
Department is hiring referees for the 2005 season. High school
students through adults welcome. Training given. Pay is $10-$25
depending on experience and certification level of the games that you
officiate! Contact the Pagosa Springs Recreation Department at
264-4151, Ext. 232 if interested. Sign up now.

Sports Hotline

Information concerning the Pagosa Springs
Recreation Department may be found by calling the Pagosa Springs
Sports Hotline at 264-6658 or logging on to townofpagosasprings.com
and going to the Parks and Recreation link. All schedules and
upcoming events are updated every Monday morning.

In the wake of change comes, among other things, a significant
level of discontent on the part of those who, for sentimental reasons
at least, oppose the alteration of the physical landscape with which
they are comfortable. The depth of the disturbance is increased when
one realizes that the physical landscape can represent the
psychological landscape - buildings, streets, trees, then being so
much more than mere physical objects.

The discontent manifests itself in many ways: uneasiness,
uncertainty, anger. And, as we find in many of the comments we read
and hear, in resentment. For what the disappearance of objects
sometimes signifies is a feeling of powerlessness, the rising, like a
serpent from the depths, of a suppressed acknowledgment of personal
shortcomings and failure.

These comments here in Pagosa Country have too often taken the
form of attacks on persons who have the wherewithal to activate
change. In particular, the comments have been critical and directed
lately toward one individual who, perhaps ill advisedly, took a lead
in promoting "visionary" processes related to some of the changes now
going on in downtown Pagosa Springs - processes designed, at least in
part, to get a grasp on the future of the town, physical and
economic. The criticisms have ranged from questions concerning the
legitimacy of the individual's significant charitable activity, to
his right to fence and lock his personal property; to charges he
should invest his capital developing untenable properties elsewhere,
rather than those he purchased downtown.

If this man's charity is to be questioned, everyone's is to be
questioned. If an individual's rights to personal property and
privacy are questioned, everyone's similar rights should be
questioned. If business judgement - obviously more acute than most -
is to be criticized, let it be criticized by those of equal
accomplishment.

The complaints are misguided, and ultimately unproductive; they
miss the point.

They miss the point in terms of the reality of development -
ongoing and probable - in Pagosa Springs. The person in question, the
so-called "Mr. Vision," is but one of a number of players moving
pieces on the board. And, at the moment, he is one of the lesser
characters in the game. There are projects in progress that will
significantly affect the town of Pagosa Springs and the surrounding
area. Where are the attacks, where are the comments? There are other
individuals and organizations set to make profound moves soon. Where
are the complaints?

The problem, perhaps, is one of envy. And with envy - of wealth
and the ability to actualize ideas - comes bitterness from those who
are without. The situation here, now, has little to do with
personalities. It has everything to do with plans. And with our
ability, as a community, to acquire the means to impose community
control on what occurs. Where were the complainers when a large
residential project was brought before the town planning commission
and council? Where were the complainers when the Master Plan
committee was formed? Are they on it? Where are the complainers when
the topic of a county land use plan arises?

The changes taking place in Pagosa Country, first, include each
and every person who has moved here in the last 40 years. Each is
part, to some degree, of the situation. Second, the changes to come
will be caused by numerous individuals, various projects. It is
incredibly shortsighted to level criticism at personalities rather
than plans. And, if the concerns about change transcend envy, it is
irresponsible to neglect the processes that will determine what
happens here in the upcoming years. Those processes are political,
those processes demand participation. Without it, the complaints ring
hollow and small.

Karl Isberg

Pacing
Pagosa

Disaster near; what gets saved?

By Richard Walter

SUN Columnist

It is a question I've asked many times
before. But with the Gulf Coast debacle it might be time to ask it
again.

Suppose for a moment that your home is in
the path of a known deadly storm. You have a little time to get some
things out and get out yourself.

The question becomes, what would you save as
disaster approaches?

You see terror-stricken faces and sobbing
homeowners on television, many lamenting the fact they lost
everything in the storm.

Everything? What were they doing with the
time Mother Nature provided in her destructive march?

Why are so many people injured in these acts
of God? Property damage is understandable, but life is so much more
valuable and in most instances there is time to get away from the eye
of the storm, at least.

Some have said for years that those who live
in the hurricane belt, where storms are a recognized fact of life -
and death - are just asking for eventual disaster. Those who live
there might in turn argue it is a small price to pay to escape the
rigors of northern winters.

Let's make it more personal. I'm the head of
evacuation preparation and I've just informed you there is but an
hour left to reach safety.

What would you take?

Money, bonds and deeds are likely. Family
records so you'll have proof of who you are. What about valuables
like coin and stamp collections? Probably not enough time or packing
area in the car.

Pets, of course deserve as much chance of
survival as you. But let's be realistic. You can't get three dogs,
nine cats, the family and emergency supplies all in the car at
once.

Your escape time is running out and you
haven't reached a decision.

The new TV and VCR may have to stay behind.
Likewise, the new furniture your wife so wanted for the dining
room.

Favorite books? Most will have to stay
behind but a Bible or holy book of your choice seems like a must for
many.

Prescription medications are a must along
with special orthopedic support appliances, eyeglasses, crutches and
canes. Maps should be readily available, especially if your escape
route (and that's something to plan in advance) will take you more
than 40 miles from home.

You're down to just a few minutes for the
final decision. You need to make quick appraisals of how anything you
take will aid you in the recovery period.

Don't overload. Limit your escape cargo to
what you know you can safely carry in the vehicle along with the
members of your family.

Don't try to go too fast. Remember that your
neighbors, too, are making the same decisions and you all may be
planning the same escape route.

If you are a two-vehicle family, don't be
lulled into the belief if all but one person go in one car, all the
property to be saved can go in the other with the single
occupant.

The moral: Wherever you live, have an
advance escape route planned; prepare in advance a list of key names
and addresses.

Get out!

Legacies

90 years ago

Taken from SUN files of September 17,
1915

Work on the new wagon road from Dyke to the Junction is making
fine progress.

Louis Brown has opened a plumbing shop in the rear of the Montroy
building, and having had 20 years experience in the business, is
prepared to install and repair everything in the way of water pipes,
bathroom and heating plants in first-class workmanlike manner.

The work of installing the new auxiliary pumping plant is
progressing rapidly, and it will be ready for use by the time
freezing weather sets in.

If you want a first-class spring wagon, built from the ground up,
see George Carther. He'll build them to your order, all hand-made
from select material, at a price you can afford.

75 years ago

Taken from The Pagosa Journal files of
September 19, 1930

M.J. Wicklem is having the hot water from the Hatcher well piped
into his garage at San Juan and Fifth streets. The water will go to
the garage by gravity and is expected to provide heat for the
building.

Deer are reported more plentiful in this section this fall than
apparently for many years.

Archuleta County ranchmen who planted grain crops this year are
reporting good yields or promise of good yields.

John Galbreath is recognized as one of the most successful lawyers
in the San Juan Basin. He has been county attorney of Archuleta
County for ten years. He has been town attorney for Pagosa Springs
for fifteen years. He has been elected a school director five times.

50 years ago

Taken from SUN files of September 15,
1955

At their last meeting the Town Board voted to pass a resolution
calling for a bond election for the purpose of buying a new fire
truck. This election will submit to the qualified electors the
question of whether or not $10,000 worth of bonds are to be issued
for this purpose.

This month marks the appearance of a new magazine, "Red Ryder
Ranch Magazine." This magazine starts with the October-December
quarter as its issue date and is written by Fred Harman. A great deal
of the magazine is devoted to comics but there are also several pages
of other features. Included in the features in the first issue is a
story of the duel for the Pagosa Hot Spring, pictures of the Red
Ryder Ranch and several articles about the early day west.

25 years ago

Taken from SUN files of September 18,
1980

Rainfall on Wolf Creek Pass during August totaled almost seven and
a half inches. This isn't a record there, but it is one of the
heaviest months for rainfall in recent years. The rain storms were
numerous during the month and in one two-day period 2.85 inches of
rain fell.

Construction of the new shopping center at Pagosa is well underway
this week and construction on the New Pagosa Plaza in town is nearing
completion. Some of the occupants of the Plaza expect to start moving
in within a few weeks.

The county was visited last week by two French bicyclists pedaling
across the United States and by a runner, who will have traveled
2,500 miles by the end of his trip.

Features

Oil and gas wells ... when, and
how?

Development is coming.

Are we ready?

By James Robinson

Staff Writer

Energy. It has become the center of national attention this summer
as gas prices inched ever higher and drivers felt the sting of rising
prices with each visit to the pump.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent damage to
America's refining and delivery capacities, a Lundberg survey
revealed that, by the end of August, prices per gallon had jumped 38
cents, and between Aug. 26 and Sept. 9 the national average for a
gallon of regular unleaded peaked at $3.04.

By the end of the summer, barrel prices for light crude had set
national records and current prices for October delivery hover around
$64 per barrel.

Before the skyrocketing costs of fuel were exacerbated by the
hurricane, lawmakers grappled with a contentious, and
long-in-the-making energy bill. But, despite the bill's passage in
early August, even the administration admitted the bill promised no
immediate relief at the pump. And now, following the hurricane,
relief in the near future appears even more unlikely.

Supporters of the bill call it long-term legislation for energy
development. And many critics and advocates of the policy, from all
points on the political spectrum agree that decreasing America's
dependence on foreign oil is critical to the success of a national
energy policy. To this end, the legislation focuses, in part, on
encouraging domestic production of oil and natural gas through tax
breaks and other incentives for companies willing to tap national oil
and gas reserves - enter Pagosa Country.

Although southwest Colorado and Archuleta County are not strangers
to oil and gas development, in light of the renewed emphasis on
domestic production, the county faces unprecedented pressures from an
industry ready and willing to sink its teeth into a landscape rich in
natural gas.

The most recent manifestation of this intent is a proposal by
Meeker Colo. based Petrox Resources Incorporated to install a natural
gas compressor station near Colo. 151, about seven miles south of the
intersection of Colo. 151 and U.S. 160. The compressor proposal is
part of a greater pipeline and gas development project the details of
which, Archuleta County Senior Planner Ross Easterling said, have not
yet been fully revealed.

The greater implications of the compressor facility and natural
gas development in general have pushed the county to scramble to stay
ahead of the game. Natural gas development has become a topic at
board of county commissioners' and planning commission meetings. At a
recent oil and gas work session with county staff and the Archuleta
County Board of County Commissioners many questions were posed: Where
does county jurisdiction lie? What are the county's regulatory
abilities, if any; and what can the county do to be proactive in
regards to natural gas development?

During the work session, Blair Leist, the director of county
development, said the county had experienced an increase in
applications for drilling permits. And Easterling said he had held
three pre-application meetings for well permits and had received one
actual submission for a permit. He said further meetings with Petrox
regarding the Dungan Well were scheduled in September.

Although Leist said the current pace of natural gas development
was relatively sedate, he cautioned against being lulled into a false
sense of security.

"We're in a lull now, but this lull is going to become an
onslaught," Leist said.

With this prediction, Leist has asked the board of county
commissioners for additional manpower and funding to attempt to get
ahead of the curve and to have the county prepared for when the
onslaught does arrive.

Part of the strategy involves Easterling devoting 20 percent of
his work schedule to oil and gas issues. Another facet of the plan
includes the approval of between $4,200 and $8,400 for the hiring of
an oil and gas consultant. Third, and farther down the road, is the
county's goal of drafting a comprehensive land use code complete with
mechanisms for dealing with oil and gas development.

But how long does the county have to prepare? Dan Randolph, the
oil and gas coordinator for the San Juan Citizens Alliance, in
addressing the county commissioners said, "There's a window of
opportunity here for Archuleta County. You have one year to be very
proactive."

Randolph added that the pressures Archuleta County currently faces
and will face in the future are not necessarily a direct link to the
new, national energy policy. Although he said that the policy would
play a significant role as decisions are made by regulatory and land
management agencies, permits are approved, development expands and
the county seeks some degree of self determination in the process.

Government policies aside, the one factor that will ultimately
drive oil and gas development in Archuleta County is something much
simpler than long range legislation from Washington - nature.

Archuleta County sits on the edge of the San Juan Basin, a 6,700
square mile area comprised of mountains, deserts and mesas which is
the second largest natural gas reserve in the United States.

According to La Plata County Energy Council documents, the basin
may contain more than 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. With
estimates of extraction at 20 to 80 percent of that total amount, the
low end take could provide La Plata and Archuleta counties with
natural gas for thousands of years.

Geographically, the basin stretches from northwestern New Mexico
into southwestern Colorado - namely the area east of Bayfield into
Archuleta County and west into La Plata County just south of Durango.

Much of the recent focus on oil and gas development in the region
has been on the area within La Plata County. Comparatively speaking,
Archuleta County's oil and gas development prospects might seem
relatively minor.

For contrast, in 2001, there were 16 natural gas wells and four
oil wells listed with the Archuleta County Assessor's office. Just a
year later, in 2002, La Plata County had 2,461 producing wells, 95
percent of which were producing natural gas.

By 2005, preliminary numbers from the Archuleta County Assessor
indicated an increase from 2001, with 46 natural gas wells and four
oil wells listed and in contrast, those numbers seem relatively low.

But with current plans for exploration and natural gas development
in the HD mountains, expansion of pipelines and the installation of
new roads and compressor facilities, the natural gas landscape in the
county could significantly change.

According to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, 13
drilling permits were approved in Archuleta County between 2004 and
2005 and six more permits are currently pending.

With the Environmental Impact Study statement out in December or
January for drilling in the roadless areas of the HD mountains, those
numbers could increase significantly.

But what are the HD mountains? Where are they and what is their
environmental and economic significance to the county and the region?
How would they change, if exploration and extraction continues as
planned? Who are the players and what are the plans? What are the
economic impacts and benefits to the county? What are the
environmental ramifications beyond the HDs?

These are some of the questions this series of articles will
explore as Archuleta County seeks to come to terms with impending oil
and gas development. For many agree it is not a question of if, it is
a question of when and how.

Pagosa's
Past

Did fraud, perjury play role in
Pagosa's start?

By John M. Motter

PREVIEW Columnist

What was Pagosa Springs like in 1878, the year settlement began in
the community?

We continue this week with an eyewitness account written by Lt.
McCauley, an Army engineer looking over the beginning construction of
Fort Lewis on what is now the main, downtown business block.

McCauley begins by describing how the Great Pagosa Hot Springs
passes from public into private hands:

"Wrested from its hereditary possessors (McCauley means Southern
Ute Indians  Motter) by perjury, misrepresentation, or fraud, in the
Brunot convention or treaty with the Utes in 1873 for the cession or
purchase of what is known as the San Juan region, the location of the
springs was subsequently claimed by various squatters, as
agricultural land, omitting the springs on their plat prepared for
file and record.

To doubly hold the place, it was entered by a confederate as a
mill-site, and lest this, too, should be invalidated, the ground was
taken up as a placer claim. To legally establish the latter, at a
convenient point to the Springs, the ground was duly "salted," in the
most convenient manner, by firing gold-dust from a shotgun into the
earth, after which, in the presence of a witness, a pan of the earth
was washed and "color" found by the merest accident. The last and
strongest claim, and still in litigation, was the placing of
Valentine scrip upon some forty acres of land including the most
valuable springs.

"As an offset to the various claims, the President directed that
the place be reserved as a town site; and in May, 1877, a square
mile, including the springs, was duly reserved by Executive
proclamation.

"The various squatters have encountered bitter opposition from the
Indians; the latter threatening and burning their cabins. To the
monopoly of the waters by anyone they will never be reconciled.
During the past month, at the grand council held by the Ute
commission with the Weeminuche, Capote, Muache andc (etc ... Motter)
bands of Utes, they informed the chairman, General Edward Hatch,
U.S.A., that they had learned of the claim on the Springs by
Valentine scrip, and that their united wish was for the Tata Grande
or Great Father in Washington to retain possession of the place, so
that all persons, whether white or Indians, might visit it, and when
sick come there and be healed, firmly believing its waters to be a
panacea for all diseases or afflictions."

Motter  McCauley's report gives us much food for thought. What
really happened in the process of transferring the springs' title
from public to private hands would be interesting and a considerable
contribution of our understanding of the history of the area.

Since McCauley's report was written before the issue was settled,
it should be pointed out that the Valentine Scrip, did indeed, win
out, but not before a few years passed. Surely a paper trail exists
documenting the various aspects of the legal confrontation on this
subject naming the participants and explaining the reasoning used to
arrive at the decision.

Other public sources make us aware that Welch Nossaman was among
those seeking title. That's a long story to be addressed at another
time. The title was finally awarded to a Major Henry Foote in 1883.
Also involved were a James L. Byers, John Conover, and Dr. A.C. Van
Duyn. I suspect a man named Joseph Clarke may also have been
involved. Clarke was the first post master. McCauley's 1878 drawing
shows Clark's cabin near the springs. Finally, Clark was a major
purchaser of town lots when the government auction of lots took place
in 1885. Clarke may have been connected with the Pagosa Springs
Company.

In any case, a study of the events connected with the Hot Springs
going and private and describing the players involved would add a
great deal to the knowledge of Pagosa Springs history.

More next week from McCauley's eyewitness description of Pagosa
Country based on an 1878 visit.

Pagosa Sky
Watch

Harvest Moon coming, enjoy the
glow

By James Robinson

Staff Writer

Native Americans tracked the seasons with
it, farmers harvested their fields by the light of it, Henry David
Thoreau wrote about it and Neil Young sang about it - the legendary
Harvest Moon.

For Pagosa Country sky watchers, the arrival
of this much heralded moon will occur Sept. 17. with the moon rising
at 7:16 p.m, burning full and bright throughout the evening, then
setting at 6:13 a.m.

Normally, for the few days around the full
moon, the moon rises about 50 minutes later each subsequent night.
That changes during the Harvest Moon, when the moon seems to rise at
roughly the same time on those few nights. This isn't truly the case,
although the difference in moon rise times is noticeably less,
perhaps 25 to 40 minutes rather than 50. The result? Just a little
more moonglow for full moon revelers.

Although Neil Young sang about dancing under
the Harvest Moon, the Harvest Moon is more closely linked to farming,
the harvesting of crops and the arrival of autumn rather than
revelry. The name, Harvest Moon, refers to the fact that farmers,
before the days of tractor headlights, would use the light of this
particular full moon, to work late into the evening harvesting their
crops. In addition, many crops such as corn, wild rice and squash are
generally ready to be harvested at the time of the Harvest Moon's
arrival.

The Harvest Moon is regarded as the full
moon occurring closest to the autumn equinox and generally occurs in
September, although in some years it does occur in October.

While the arrival of the Harvest Moon is
perhaps the most prominent and well known celestial event marking the
approach of autumn; there is also a star whose appearance, although
much more subtle, marks the same transition in seasons.

The star, Fomalhaut, or, alpha Piscis
Austrini, also known as the autumn star, is part of the constellation
Piscis Austrinus, the southern fish. Its appearance in our night sky,
like the Harvest Moon, marks the arrival of fall.

The star and its parent constellation have
played a role in astronomy since ancient times. The Assyrians viewed
the constellation as a fish drinking or swimming in water poured by
the water bearer Aquarius. Aquarius lies just to the north of the
constellation's brightest star, Fomalhaut, and in fact, the name
Fomalhaut means "fish's mouth."

Fomalhaut lies in a somewhat lonely part of the night sky, and this fact might be to the backyard astronomer's advantage when attempting to locate the star and its parent constellation. Beyond the star's relative isolation, sky watchers will have another factor working in their favor  the moon.

Tonight, the nearly full moon, will provide
a useful and obvious landmark sky watchers can use to help them find
the star.

Looking south east about two hours after
sunset, first locate the moon which will be hanging relatively low in
the sky. From the moon travel straight down about three degrees, the
width of three fingers held at arm's length with the night sky as a
backdrop, and just slightly to the left. The brightest star in this
region of the sky is Fomalhaut.

Once at Fomalhaut, tracing the constellation
might prove difficult for it vaguely resembles a fish. But savvy star
gazers might be able to discern the five or so visible stars that
give the constellation a rounded rectangular or oblong shape.

Piscus Austrinis and Fomalhaut have garnered
the attention of contemporary astronomers because observations
indicate a disk of cool dust surrounding Fomalhaut from which they
believe a planetary system may be forming.

And speaking of planets, Mars will rise in
the east tonight about 10 p.m. and views of the red planet are
getting better and better. Look for what appears to be a brilliant
burnt orange or reddish colored star. This is Mars and it is distinct
and hard to miss.

Weather

Date

High

Low

Precip.
Type

Depth

Moisture

9/7

80

52

R

.12

.12

9/8

76

49

R

.12

.12

9/9

71

49

R

.94

.94

9/10

68

46

R

.12

.12

9/11

70

41

-

-

-

9/12

68

37

-

-

-

9/13

66

33

-

-

-

Great weather in line for
Colorfest, beyond

By Richard Walter

Staff Writer

The colors of fall are upon us and increasing daily. The nighttime
temperatures are well below freezing.

And while daytime highs are hovering in the 70s it is obvious
Mother Nature has stepped up her timetable for the fall fun months.

There has been no official snowfall as yet in the lower country,
but those who drive the state's passes every day are seeing at least
irregular flurries.

The difference is most evident in the past week when the high was
76 degrees at 3 p.m. Sept. 8 and the low a chilly 32.5 at 12:30 a.m.
Tuesday.

That low figure will be challenged all over the area, especially
in the area along the county's rivers. Thermometers in town were
showing 25-27 degrees Wednesday, for example.

A caller from the Upper Blanco area insisted the morning
temperature out at the ranch stood at 20 degrees Wednesday when he
went out to care for the animals.

Rainfall total for the month has been 1.46 inches with the bulk of
that (1.06) cascading down last Friday and Saturday when the San Juan
took on the look of a chocolate river.

Now, however, let me put all this cold weather talk behind and
look at what appears to be an absolutely gorgeous week ahead,
especially for the weekend Colorfest.

If you like the days to read like a repeated line from a good
book, you'll love this one. Or, if you're thinking of a fall
vacation, the picture looks ideal.

The call for every day in the upcoming week is "mostly sunny" with
temperatures in the mid-70 range.

And the nighttime lows are, with one exception, forecast in the
low 40s under skies that could only have been ordered by stargazers.

Winds will be mild through the entire period according to
forecasters at the National Weather Bureau in Grand Junction.

Specifically, a 77-degree mark forecast for Sunday will be the
highest of the period and a 38 tonight (the exception noted above) is
expected to be the lowest.

So there you have it - clear sunny skies, mild temperatures and a
great time to be out seeing the region.

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